“Zac lit up every room, he was so special”
Lauren Beavis, SWNS and Emma Slee Head of News (South West)
11:01, 05 Apr 2026
Zac Summers-Cameron and his mum Clare(Image: SWNS)
A mum who lost her son to testicular cancer after it was misdiagnosed as an infection is warning others to ‘not take no for an answer’ when getting tested.
Zac Summers-Cameron from Gloucestershire died in November 2025 just aged 22.
He was coming to the end of his first year at the University of West England, in Bristol, when he told his family he had a painful and swollen testicle alongside griping pain in his abdomen.
His family say when he first went to the GP doctors initially put it down to an infection and treated him with antibiotics in June 2024.
Nearly four months later, when Zac had finally been admitted to hospital, the family found out he had stage three testicular cancer which had already spread across his body.
Zac’s mum, Clare Summers-Taylor, 58, said her son’s death was “a tragedy that should have been avoided”.
She is urging others to ensure they get checked out quickly – as testicular cancer has a 96 per cent survival rate if caught early.
Clare said: “Zac lit up every room, he was so special. He was the life and soul of his friendship group and our family.
“We are absolutely devastated by his loss and cannot believe he isn’t coming back. It is especially sad to lose someone so young and we want to raise awareness.
“If only he had been scanned earlier and fully checked things could have turned out differently.
“We don’t want what happened to Zac to happen to anyone else.”
Zac and his mum(Image: Clare Summers-Taylor / SWNS)
When Zac first went to the GP about the swelling and pain in his testicle pain, doctors initially put it down to an infection and treated him with antibiotics in June 2024.
As the months went on, Zac’s discomfort intensified and the pain spread down his leg, leaving him barely able to walk.
Despite further GP appointments and two stints in A&E, Zac’s mum, Clare, 58, said he was never scanned.
On the 18 September 2024, Clare insisted on a private ultrasound scan for Zac as he was in crippling pain and had lost a lot of weight.
Following the results of the scan, Zac was immediately admitted to Cheltenham General Hospital on 23 September for further investigations.
It wasn’t until 27 September that a consultant insisted on a CT scan.
Clare said: “The scan revealed the worst possible news that Zac had advanced testicular cancer which had spread to his lungs, liver and abdomen.
“At the time we were told he had a 60 per cent chance of survival.”
Zac then underwent 15 months of treatment including aggressive chemotherapy in Cheltenham, followed by two rounds of high dose chemotherapy with stem-cell transplants at Bristol Royal Infirmary, but he tragically died on 27 November 2025.
Clare said: “What Zac went through was horrific.
“The treatment, the constant pain and the side effects were awful.
“For nearly four months his symptoms were in keeping with testicular cancer.
“The warning signs were there.”
Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in younger men in the UK, with about 2,400 cases each year and 70 deaths.
However, if it is caught early, it has a high survival rate.
Clare is urging others to remain persistent and ensure they go through thorough testing if they have concerns over symptoms.
She said: “My advice for other people is ‘don’t take no for an answer’.
“If you have a lump, a swollen testicle or pain – make them investigate it properly and insist on a scan.
“Zac was seen by various medical professionals, but testicular cancer wasn’t mentioned.”
Before he passed away, Zac was able to tick off some of his bucket list by visiting Amsterdam with his family to see AFC Ajax play in their home stadium.
He was also a keen sportsman and entrepreneur – having created his own vintage clothing business called Forty Four Clothing, with 44 being his favourite number.
Zac even arranged a 44-clothing event two weeks before he died, with DJs, food, a bar and clothes for sale, attended by his friends and loved ones.
Clare said: “Everyone who loves Zac came together to celebrate his life and spend time with him.
“It was so special.”
Zac’s friends organised an event in his memory called ‘Zac’s 44 Legacy Memorial Match Charity Day’ at Old Patesians RFC in Cheltenham on 4 April.
It involved a rugby match between Zac’s friends for the first “Summers-Cameron Cup”, as well as live music, DJ sets and raffles and auctions.
The event was raising money for Maggies Centres, a charity that helped the family during their ordeal.
Clare said Zac would have loved the event.
She added: “He would be the first one on the dance floor.
“We are touched by the love shown by his friends and the local community.
“It’s just so sad he can’t be there because he would love it.
“He had such a bright future ahead of him and wanted his own family more than anything.
“We all miss him so much.”
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