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Cancer diagnosis Testicular cancer can only be cured with health insurance
Although there is actually a statutory compulsory insurance, tens of thousands of people live in Germany without health insurance. One of them is Claudius Holler. The former politician of the Pirate Party therefore seeks help on the Internet. The solidarity is impressive.
"Cancer is an asshole"
"Cancer is an asshole, and this asshole knocked on my door today as well." This is how an almost 17-minute video that the former top candidate of the Hamburg Pirate Party, Claudius Holler, uploaded on Youtube on Wednesday starts. "And because assholes mostly do not come alone, I need your help," the 38-year-old continues. The day before, Holler had been diagnosed with testicular cancer by his doctor. After a night of reflection, the ex-pirate summoned his cry for help under the title, "Cancer is an asshole - are you helping me?". To his serious illness is another problem added: Holler is currently according to his own information without health insurance. The cost of a treatment is extremely costly.
The former pirate politician Claudius Holler is suffering from testicular cancer, but not health insurance. In a video on the Internet, the young man asks for financial support. (Image: Simon Kraus / fotolia.com) Increase in testicular cancer diseases in Germany
In recent years, a steady increase in testicular cancer has been reported in Europe and the USA. "There is an increasing frequency of new cases worldwide - even in Germany," write experts from the Professional Association of German Urologists and the German Society of Urology on the "urologist portal". A testicular cancer disease is often the affected patient even by a painless hardening and / or swelling of the affected testicle. Although testicular pain can occur, it does not have to be related to a malignant disease. Some sufferers also report blood in semen, a decrease in sexual desire or an accumulation of fluid in the scrotum (hydrocele).
Especially young men affected
Around 4,000 new cases of testicular cancer are found in Germany, whereby the disease predominantly affects younger men. Although testicular carcinomas are among the rarer cancers, in the 20- to 40-year-olds they are the most common malignant tumors in men. Even Claudius Holler got the diagnosis in the most vulnerable age. The 38-year-old asks for financial support in his video. According to his own information, he is currently not covered by health insurance. This has to do with the fact that he had to dismiss himself after a - as he says - involuntary near-failure of the company set up with his brother. He will receive the chemotherapy, but must pay back the therapy costs, including the debts of his health insurance, which now amount to more than 9,000 euros. Many users have already followed his call, according to social media. The video has been clicked over 47,000 times and is currently spreading, among other things, via Twitter.
Help on the net impressive
"Many people have told me about their own experiences with cancer," said Holler, according to the "Hamburger Abendblatt". "I have also received encouragement from many men who only have one testicle after an operation." In addition, many people had written to him who, like him as a troubled self-employed, would have no health insurance. By Thursday afternoon, a five-figure amount had already met, with which he could pay his debts to the health insurance. The help he got thanks to the video shows that there is not only hate and bullying on the internet, as it sometimes seems. Only recently did an example show that such calls can be lifesaving in the network. For example, a London-based student with blood cancer found a lifesaver among 25 million donors after launching a campaign on the Internet. (Ad)