Students raise awareness about testicular cancer during annual festival

Each year, the Office of Alcohol, Drug and Health Education holds Testival, an event to promote awareness of testicular cancer. Testival takes a humorous approach to educating the students and faculty of George Mason University about testicular cancer.
This year’s event entertained and educated the Mason community with games like Penis Plinko, Guess the Gonad, NUTrition, Penis Trivia and Testicular Pursuit. Amongst the fun and games, the event also had serious and educational tables providing support and awareness for those living with cancer and promoting general men’s health.
“We’ve had a diverse crowd [of] teachers and faculty, and then some students have come by,” said Erika Zeidler, senior nursing major stationed at the T-shirt table. Unlike other events at Mason, Testival gave T-shirts away on one basis.
“I [had] everyone tell me how to give [themselves] a self exam before they got a T-shirt,” Zeidler said as she turned a student back towards the informative tables to learn how to perform the four-step test and receive his free T-shirt. Zeidler felt that the event accomplished what the Office of Alcohol, Drug and Health Education had in mind.
“It’s a good community outreach program,” Zeidler said. “It shows people to not be afraid to get help if they need it. It highlights the main areas that this age group should be aware of.”
Whether to become educated on testicular cancer or receive free barbecue from Sausagefest, many male and female students attended Testival.
For some, testicular cancer was a far more personal subject, as it had affected someone they knew.
At the Testicular Pursuit table, Colleen Mattingly and Michael Hecker answered questions about how many gallons of sperm a man produces. Both junior government and international politics majors, Mattingly and Hecker knew someone with testicular cancer. Hecker uses this connection and the opportunities at Testival to stay educated.
“It’s good awareness,” Hecker said. “Not a lot of people our age think about it, but it’s prevalent.”
Providing support and education to the Mason community, Testival was a success. Whether students attended for a free T-shirt or barbecue or went in honor of someone they knew, the Mason community promoted and embraced awareness of testicular cancer.