Fighting spirit: Young Newcastle star Jeremy Papamau faces battle with cancer
BY BRETT KEEBLE
ONE of the Newcastle Knights' brightest young stars is fighting for his life after being diagnosed with testicular cancer during a routine injury check-up.
Seventeen-year-old Jeremy Papamau hurt his shoulder in a National Youth Competition (under 20s) game against the Bulldogs on June 7 and saw Knights medical officer Neil Halpin a few days later to get it checked out.
He also alerted Dr Halpin about a lump on his right testicle. Dr Halpin initial fears of a cancerous tumour were confirmed by ultrasound. Papamau had the testicle surgically removed on July 1 and, on Monday of this week, he began a six-week course of chemotherapy.
Less than 12 months ago, Papamau represented Australian Schoolboys, signed a new three-year contract with the Knights, and won the prestigious Carlson Club-Andrew Johns Medal as the Knights' best under-18 player.
Life was good, and still is.
When Dr Halpin told him he had cancer, he did not burst into tears or blurt out questions about survival rates. He just wanted to know when he could play footy again.
"When I went back to see him for the results, he said, 'There's no easy way to tell you this but we've found a tumour there', and one thing led to another from that," said Papamau, a Morpeth and East Maitland junior and former Hunter Sports High School student.
"I'm a pretty headstrong person and I didn't think it would have anything to do with taking my life away or anything.
"At first I couldn't believe it, especially when he was talking nine to 12 months out of footy, so it wasn't the best of news.
"I'd had the lump for about six months and didn't say anything, and if I'd left it for another six or eight months ... if I didn't get it out when I did, I would have probably had it [cancer] scattered through my whole body."
Papamau said the support of his parents Talia and Heather, their respective partners, and the rest of his extended family and many friends helped him overcome the initial shock and deal with the subsequent surgery and treatment.
"I haven't really had a dark day," he said. "It's all just been about staying positive and staying strong.
"As soon as I had it removed, I was going to the gym every day still so I was never going to let it get the better of me, that's for sure.
"Me and Doctor Halpin have sort of agreed to aim for six weeks with chemo then try to bounce back to full-time training in about eight weeks, even though that might be asking a bit much. But you've got to aim for something."
Heather Papamau said: "We're so grateful to everyone at the Knights, from [coach] Brian Smith and [operations manager] Warren Smiles right through the whole club, but especially to Neil Halpin, who has gone out of his way to do everything possible for Jeremy."
Papamau was welcomed into the Knights' dressing-room after their 32-12 victory over Parramatta at EnergyAustralia Stadium on Monday night and captain Danny Buderus presented him with a signed jersey.
"It was a big effort for him to come to the game on his first day of chemo. All I could really say was just to tell him that we're there for him as a club, and as teammates we're sort of like an extended family," Buderus said.
"It's a big thing for a 17-year-old kid to deal with but being in a sporting environment, you've got to have a strong character and you can tell that about him. He said if this thing is going to try to beat him, he's right up for the challenge."
Smith said: "Everyone at the Knights are not only wishing him the best for his health issues at the moment, but we're also looking forward to seeing him bounce back and becoming a big part of our footy club in the future. He's a determined young fellow ... His resolve might be tested here but he's shown every indication by what he's already achieved that he'll fight this head on."
Apart from chasing his rugby league goals, the big-hearted winger hopes to encourage other young men to regularly check their testicles for lumps.
"A lot of people make the mistake of thinking that cancer is real painful but it's pretty much the opposite really. You've got to be worried about the lumps that aren't painful," he said.
"It's actually the most common cancer in young men. It's pretty scary when you think of it like that.
"My first goal is to get back to footy and try to achieve there but my manager has been in touch with the NSW Cancer Council to see if I could maybe be a bit of a spokesperson for the younger generation.
"I've always set goals, even when I was six years old and I said I'd one day play for Australia, and I did that last year.
"Any goal I have set, I've never really failed at except this one. I wanted to debut in the NRL at 17 so I'm going to miss that. But I'm still gonna stick to my guns and say I'll try to do it next year play an NRL game.
"I've got mates up there like [Penrith juniors] Lachlan Coote and Wade Graham, that I played in CHS sides with right throughout high school . . . They seem to be handling the NRL without any real hassles and that's where I want to be."
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