Wales and Bournemouth midfielder David Brooks has revealed he has been diagnosed with cancer.
The 24-year-old said he has Stage 2 Hodgkin lymphoma but that "the prognosis is a positive one" and will start treatment next week.
What a shock!! Good luck to the lad and I hope for a speedy and complete recovery
Have personal experience with this.
Had stage 4 Hodgkins Lymphoma - diagnosed a day after my 18th birthday.
Was at a football club at the time too. Ended any hope I had of a contract.
Was young and fit - and despite it being stage 4 (had spread to my lung) - he has stage 2 - I am still here thanks to the NHS and its staff.
I was zapped with a year's worth of Chemo and then radiotherapy every day for a month. Absolutely ravaged my body, but got rid.
For stage 2, he won't go through all of that over that time period.
They'll go for "a cure" (that's what they said to me) and he'll be monitored for 10 years. The treatment will be even better now than it was 23 years ago for me.
He'll be under contract and very well looked after- like he said, he's lucky that the Wales med staff (perks of being a pro athlete) caught it early.
He'll be out - providing no complications- for 6 months or so at a guess, possibly more.
I'm confident the guy will be OK and I wish him all the very best on his journey. I'd personally contact him to offer any support but guessing he won't want to hear from me!!
I was out of action in pretty much every way for around 15 months but re-evaluated my career, went to Uni and ended up playing again at a decent level despite my body never being fully right - and now having a few long term issues related to the Chemo- I had shit loads of the poison!! - such as severe arthritis in both hips at 43!!!....
It's bad for the guy. But, he has a great great chance to not only get through, but still being a pro. I'll be rooting for him.