by Shaun Knittel - SGN Associate Editor

Cancer - nobody is a fan. The disease is despised. Chances are, each one of us knows someone who has it, or lost someone to it, and sadly, might even one day get it our-selves. I know I'm not alone when I say that I hate cancer.

Although cancer can be terminal, the truth is, due to billions of dollars and millions of doctors that have dedicated their lives to curing cancer, not everyone who receives a diagnosis of cancer, dies from it. The moral of the story is: Donate.

Researchers, scientists, medical professionals - and not to mention the people who are sick - need money in order to fight this thing and the way I see it, since Gay men are at a higher risk than our heterosexual counterparts to get diagnosed with testicular or colon cancer, our lives might just depend on it.

There have been a good number of awareness campaigns for cancer over the years. Some were better than others. Many of them were forgettable. However, a new cam-paign from the UK is gaining traction and it is easy to see why. Handsome men with Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and other social media accounts are following a new trend called #CockInASock in order to raise cancer awareness.

Men across the Internet are slipping their penises into socks and taking almost-nude selfies. Add the hashtag to the body and you've got instant (well, near instant anyway) cancer awareness.

#CockInaSock specifically aims to raise awareness about testicular cancer. According to Gay News Network, the campaign, which has gone viral, was started by a British-based cancer research group called Cancer Research UK.

James Brown, page owner of the JustGiving.com Cock in a Sock campaign is asking the public to donate 5,000 Euros so Cock in a Sock can become a registered charity. On the fundraising page, Brown says, 'Our supporters are amazing, donating and sending in their 'Cock in a Sock' pictures to raise awareness for male cancers.'

'Please donate anything you can, and help us raise the 5K we need to become a registered charity,' he said. 'All donations made go directly to Cancer Research UK.'

A Cock in a Sock Facebook page, which already has more than 100,000 likes, and Twitter accounts, with 3,200 followers, are up to promote the trend. Between 7,500 and 8,000 men are diagnosed with testicular cancer each year in the U.S. It's the most common kind of cancer for men between 20 and 39.

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