Anybody else read about this yet? My prayers go out to Eric and his family!!!
Olympic Swimmer Shanteau Has Testicular Cancer
Jul 11, 10:29 AM (ET) Email this Story
ATLANTA (AP) -Olympic swimmer Eric Shanteau is heading to Beijing with a devastating diagnosis: He has testicular cancer.
In an exclusive interview with The Associated Press, Shanteau said he learned just a week before the Olympic trials in Omaha, Neb., that he had cancer. His doctors cleared him to compete in that meet and he surprisingly made the team in the 200-meter breaststroke, finishing second ahead of former world-record holder and heavy favorite Brendan Hansen.
Even though Shanteau's doctors have advised him to have surgery now, he's planning to put it off until after Beijing because he doesn't want to disrupt his lifelong goal. The 24-year-old Georgia native will be monitored closely over the next month and vows to drop out of the Olympics if there's any sign is cancer is spreading.
Former Member
He should have surgery now, without further delay.
I agree Gull. What good is an Olympic medal or Olympic experience when you have permitted testicular cancer to spread into your lungs, etc..
Just read an article yesterday about this yesterday in the NYTimes.
He has said that he might not be swimming at Stanford within the next few weeks, depending upon how things go and what his MD's have to say. Day by day he says. Peirsol said it was nice to have the spotlight off of him, and added that this completely wipes out all of the fears he had over what could possibly go wrong in one of his races. A reality check of sorts...what really counts in life.
I agree....lifelong dream is one thing.....life ending dream is another.
Unless the doctor could give me 100% assurance that postponing would have no effects on the outcome.....I would go home. Of course I say that now, who knows what I would have said at his age!!!!
First, this is an amazing story. Life beats fiction, again.
Second, IMHO it is foolish to second guess his decision. He and his physicians have much more information and he's clearly competent to weigh the pros and cons of his decision.
How one can persevere through this is another example of indomitable human spirit.
Being the same age as Eric Shanteau, I can't even begin to imagine what this would be like. I wonder if these types of things are caught in routine physicals - as a young 20 something I don't tend to make regular doctor check-ups. Looks like I might try and make yearly exams more of a habit!
Best of luck to Eric in both the Olympics and in treatment - thoughts and prayers with him and his family!
Self examination is pretty simple actually.
Second, IMHO it is foolish to second guess his decision. He and his physicians have much more information and he's clearly competent to weigh the pros and cons of his decision.
My understanding was that his doctors were willing to delay surgery until after the trials.
Cancer is hard to deal with. Testicular cancer has one of the highest cure rates of all cancers. If it is detected before it spreads the rate is almost 100%. I just read about 2 weeks ago that the overall cure rate for cancer is 84%. That;s really good. Every year or so the rate rises.
Wow, what an inspiration to us all.
I just read his bio and he went to high school near where I graduated. I know his coach.
Do you know Chris Davis or Rick Creed? I swam for Chris back in my teens and swam with Rick in Summer League!Small world!
This is hard news to swallow for the Swimatlanta family. I had tears in my eyes when Eric made the team. He missed making the team in 2004 by placing 3rd in two events by a VERY small margin. We were thirilled that he made it this time. He has already proven he can handle this challenge by doing what he did at trials! GOOD LUCK ERIC! My prayers are with you!:applaud:
