Why Cancer is Like Sport: life after Hodgkin's Lymphoma

Josh Hickford as a contestant on Survivor

A cancer diagnosis is never how we think life is going to unfold.

When I was diagnosed in 2018 with breast cancer it took me a long time to reconcile what was going on. For months during treatment, I would wake up in a panic thinking 'fuck! I've got cancer'. I still have moments of disbelief when I catch a glimpse of my missing right breast.

In this episode of The C Word Radio, I sat down with Taranaki man, Josh Hickford, to talk about what it's like to compete on Survivor months after finishing cancer treatment.

And then I got cancer

Josh Hickford was 27 in 2017 when he returned from his OE. He had bought the house, been to university, and all was ticking off all the typical 'Kiwi' life goals. He wasn't sure what to do next, cancer certainly wasn't high on the list.

It started with a lump on his neck. Following a series of tests, Josh heard the words we all dread, "you have cancer".

Why cancer is like sport

Josh drove home in a daze. Not wanting to wake his dad who was sleeping after a night shift, he opened a beer and turned on the cricket.

Like many Kiwi men, Josh is sports-mad. It was his love for competition that helped him approach treatment like the Black Caps in a test match. He surrounded himself with his support team and listened to expert advice.

Positive thinking and cancer

There's no denying your mental outlook impacts how well you cope with cancer treatment. I'm not talking about toxic positivity, rather using tools like visualisation, acknowledging the full spectrum of emotions you experience, and holding onto hope.

Josh drew inspiration from Sir Edmund Hilary climbing Mt Everest. He printed off a picture of Mt Everest and created labels for different milestones during his treatment. Each time he finished treatment he ticked it off.

Competing on Survivor

A few months after finishing treatment Josh was in Thailand competing on the reality series Survivor! Like many of us who finish cancer treatment, Josh felt like he wanted to try everything.

Being stuck on an island with strangers is my worst nightmare. Three months post-treatment I was barely managing regular walks! But Josh thrives on competition and his cancer experience has strengthened his drive (he's also ticked off finishing an Iron Man race).

Check out the full episode to find out how cancer has shaped Josh and how he has approached post-treatment life.

Episode Transcript