Former Australian Test captain Ian Chappell has received a major cancer scare, with skin cancers being removed from his shoulder, neck and underarm.
The 75-year-old has undergone five weeks of intense radiation therapy and his latest scans have come back clear, with the veteran commentator putting his hand up to commentate the upcoming Ashes series on Nine.
Chappell previously had a squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cut off the back of his shoulder in August 2018, but visited a doctor after he felt a lump under his left arm.
Specialists determined that the cancer had spread and wanted to be aggressive in their treatment of it, with Chappell in hospital for radio therapy five days a week for the five-week period.
Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, Chappell said he was comfortable with facing his own mortality.
"I’ve had multiple skin cancers cut off, burnt off and every other way you can get rid of them," he said.
When you hit 70 you feel (vulnerable) anyhow, but I guess I’ve got so used to bloody skin cancers over the years, and the fact that none of them have been melanomas, probably provides a bit of comfort. It may be naivety on my part.
"You get to 70 and you start to think, ‘Christ, it’s getting near the end now.’
"But I saw my mother, Jeanne near the end and she’d come to grips with death, and that’s probably when I thought, ‘s--t, this is something you need to deal with.’
"Not that you’re trying to rush it, but when it comes you’re comfortable.
"I guess I’ve been in that mode for a while now, and when it happens you just say, ‘well, I’ve had a pretty good time and that’s it."
Despite the intense therapy he has undertaken, Chappell said he is feeling good and ready to get back in the commentary box.
“I didn’t tell too many people early on. Mainly because I just wasn’t sure what the radio therapy would involve and how weary I’d be,” he said.
“But as it turned out, it wasn’t so bad. A bit of tiredness at night and a bit of skin irritation, but other than that I’m feeling pretty good.
“I told family and gradually a couple of my teammates and I’ve been getting calls from them pretty regularly which is nice.
“With the Ashes coming up now, I’ll speak to Nine and just say, ‘look, I’m ready to go if you need me.’”
https://wwos.nine.com.au/cricket/ia...r-battle/a4036530-1325-4461-b1be-6058cd2a4a2a
The 75-year-old has undergone five weeks of intense radiation therapy and his latest scans have come back clear, with the veteran commentator putting his hand up to commentate the upcoming Ashes series on Nine.
Chappell previously had a squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cut off the back of his shoulder in August 2018, but visited a doctor after he felt a lump under his left arm.
Specialists determined that the cancer had spread and wanted to be aggressive in their treatment of it, with Chappell in hospital for radio therapy five days a week for the five-week period.
Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, Chappell said he was comfortable with facing his own mortality.
"I’ve had multiple skin cancers cut off, burnt off and every other way you can get rid of them," he said.
When you hit 70 you feel (vulnerable) anyhow, but I guess I’ve got so used to bloody skin cancers over the years, and the fact that none of them have been melanomas, probably provides a bit of comfort. It may be naivety on my part.
"You get to 70 and you start to think, ‘Christ, it’s getting near the end now.’
"But I saw my mother, Jeanne near the end and she’d come to grips with death, and that’s probably when I thought, ‘s--t, this is something you need to deal with.’
"Not that you’re trying to rush it, but when it comes you’re comfortable.
"I guess I’ve been in that mode for a while now, and when it happens you just say, ‘well, I’ve had a pretty good time and that’s it."
Despite the intense therapy he has undertaken, Chappell said he is feeling good and ready to get back in the commentary box.
“I didn’t tell too many people early on. Mainly because I just wasn’t sure what the radio therapy would involve and how weary I’d be,” he said.
“But as it turned out, it wasn’t so bad. A bit of tiredness at night and a bit of skin irritation, but other than that I’m feeling pretty good.
“I told family and gradually a couple of my teammates and I’ve been getting calls from them pretty regularly which is nice.
“With the Ashes coming up now, I’ll speak to Nine and just say, ‘look, I’m ready to go if you need me.’”
https://wwos.nine.com.au/cricket/ia...r-battle/a4036530-1325-4461-b1be-6058cd2a4a2a
