How to Cope With Losing a Partner to Cancer
- Beloved TikTok star Francesco LoPresti passed away last week after a hard-fought battle with testicular cancer, according to his girlfriend, Kaitlin Reagan. He was 24 years old.
- When Francesco was 17, he was diagnosed with stage 3B testicular cancer that had "metastasized into multiple tumors surrounding his lymph nodes, neck, liver, spinal cord and right hip," according to the couple’s shared website.
- The grieving and recovery process after losing a loved one to cancer, especially a partner, is definitely not a "one-and-done" process, many members of the SurvivorNet community have told us.
- Having a solid support system when going through this kind of loss is vitally important; Kaitlin has the support of her and Francesco’s TikTok following, which will come in handy as she goes through the process of grieving her loss.
Kaitlin, also 24, announced Francesco's death on Wednesday in a TikTok video posted to her account, all while fighting back tears.
Read More"It's been a week since he hasn't been here, but you guys deserve to know," she continued. "He loved you guys so much and he loved everything that you guys did for him watching our videos and standing with us."@kaitlin_reagan @cescolopresti ♬ original sound – Kaitlin_Reagan
"It's going to take some time for us to really comprehend that he's not here anymore and to heal. I'm going to be back, I'm just going to need some time. Everything that I do moving forward will be for him."
The couple rose to fame on TikTok, where they've shared hundreds of videos with their millions of followers. According to their official website, the pair met when they were preteens, but connected a few years later when they were each 15 years old. And as they say, the rest is history.
When Francesco was 17, however, he was diagnosed with stage 3B testicular cancer that had "metastasized into multiple tumors surrounding his lymph nodes, neck, liver, spinal cord and right hip," according to the website. His diagnosis resulted in Francesco enduring "numerous surgeries and radiation treatments," as well as chemotherapy.
When Kaitlin shared the news of Francesco's death, she wrote in the caption of her video: "@cescolopresti I love you unconditionally and I feel so broken. I know you want everyone to know how much their love and support filled your life, so please let his voice be heard. I promise to share your messages one day. You and I against the world forever. Thank u for a true love story."
@cescolopresti🤣🤣 jokes is the only way♬ im fresher than a motherfuker – Ibdatmf
Understanding Testicular Cancer
Testicular cancer, the type of cancer Francesco LoPresti was diagnosed with, starts in the testicles (also called testes; a single testicle is called a testis), and these organs are part of the male reproductive system. The two organs are each normally a little smaller than a golf ball in adult males, according to the American Cancer Society. The testes are held within a sac of skin called the scrotum, which hangs under the base of the penis.
Testicular cancer is not common, ACS reports; about 1 of every 250 males will develop testicular cancer at some point during their lifetime.
In contrast, since testicular cancer can usually be treated successfully, a man's lifetime risk of dying from this cancer is very low about 1 in 5,000.
Dr. Edwin Posadas, the medical director of the Urologic Oncology Program at Cedars-Sinai Cancer, previously told SurvivorNet that testicular cancer doesn't often present with pain, but it can.
"Most men will present with some sort of mass on their testicle; a sexual partner or spouse may feel the mass when they're being intimate," he said, adding that some men may notice blood in their ejaculate as a result of testicular cancer, which is a less common symptom.
Related: Save A Nut!: Testicular Cancer Survivor Mark Borja Makes it His Mission to Spread Awareness
Kaitlin Reagan Lost Her Boyfriend Francesco LoPresti: How to Cope With Losing a Partner
The grieving and recovery process after losing a loved one to cancer, especially a partner, is definitely not a "one-and-done" process, many members of the SurvivorNet community have told us. One widower even told us that the idea of "moving on" is not realistic, or even desired.
"I don't even think I want to move on," Doug Wendt, who lost his wife of 25 years to ovarian cancer, told SurvivorNet during a previous interview. "But I do want to move forward, and that's an important distinction. I encourage anyone who goes through this journey as a caregiver who then has to face loss to think very carefully about how to move forward."
The point is that moving on and dealing with grief is different for everyone; how Kaitlin Reagan is dealing with the grief of losing Francesco LoPresti is different than Doug's, and that’s OK.
Having a solid support system when going through this kind of loss is vitally important; Kaitlin has the support of her and Francesco’s TikTok following, which will come in handy as she goes through the process of grieving her loss.
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