Wesley Warren Jr. Helps Man With 100-Pound Scrotal Lymphedema, Dan Maurer, To Undergo Removal Surgery
Wesley Warren Jr., the man with the 132-pound scrotum who passed away in March, has unknowingly helped a 39-year-old man in Michigan. Dan Maurer of Battle Creek, Mich., is scheduled to have his nearly 100-pound scrotum removed this Thursday, after the TLC show The Man with the 132-Pound Scrotum inspired him to have hope. Maurer, who first learned about his condition — scrotal lymphedema — on the show, hopes to be a “success story” and a representation of hope for men battling this condition.
"I feel that I have been blessed enough to have it removed, but I want to make sure this doesn't happen to anyone else, (and) that's why I want to put myself in the light," Maurer told the NY Daily News. On the TLC show, Warren had consulted Dr. Joel Gelman of UC Irvine to have his giant growth surgically removed. When Warren survived the procedure but died a year later from diabetes complications, Maurer knew his only hope would be to see Gelman, too.
Maurer, like Warren, suffered from scrotal lymphedema, which is a “massive enlargement” of the scrotum due to the thickening of tissue and accumulation of fluid. Typically, the skin becomes very bumpy and irregular, and the penis becomes buried within the tissue, says The Center for Reconstructive Urology. This rare disorder has no treatment, except surgery for tissue mass removal, or in some cases, skin grafting.
For Maurer’s surgery, Gelman will cut the T-shape in the mass, identify the penis and testicles to make sure they aren’t harmed, and then excise the excess tissue. "With the surgery, my life is on the line and losing my penis is on the line," he said. "I guarantee almost all men would go for the best (doctor)," Maurer said about his decision to contact Gelman.
With the help of a GoFundMe page, Maurer has raised over $27,000 so that Gelman can perform the procedure in California. Without the help of donations, even health insurance from Maurer’s wife, Mindy, would not cover the expenses. Maurer makes sure to express his gratitude to his donors, especially "the ones who donate the minimum $5 because I know they're strapped. No one would take the time and effort it would take to do it for $5 if it wasn't all they had."
The married man looks forward to a lot of experiences post-op, including sex with his wife for the first time in seven years. With only being able to move through life 40 feet at a time before surgery, Maurer hopes to travel and jet ski. He also plans to lose weight and get healthy, to show his donors he was worth every penny of their investment.
Maurer is willing to take the risk of this surgery, because if it’s successful, he will be able to give people hope.