When Matthew Wade was just 16 years old, he was excelling at both AFL  and cricket. His biggest challenge was deciding between whether he’d pursue the kicking of the egg ball or the hitting of it. That was, of course, until he was diagnosed with testicular cancer.

It happened kind of by accident, during a game of football, Wade got hit in the goolies. While away on a school camp, he reckoned something wasn’t right and went to have his bits checked out.  Then, as a 16 year old kid, he was told he had cancer. He was told that he’d have to go through chemotherapy, he’d lose his hair, he’d be sick all the time. He’d be tired and he’d be all the things that goes along with cancer treatment.  He tried to train through chemo, but soon realized that the drugs were too strong. He allowed the dream of being a professional sportsman to take a back seat.

After finishing treatment, the ball got rolling again and, despite having started an apprenticeship as a plumber, Wade was still keeping at the two sports. His tenacity and his performances in grade cricket as well as with the under-19s earned him a rookie contract with Tasmania before moving to Victoria to pursue his career as a wicketkeeper – a big move as 19 year old.

Now, Wade has pipped Brad Haddin as first choice ‘keeper in limited overs for Australia and he’ll be heading to the West Indies with the Australian side soon. A remarkable feat for anybody, made more remarkable by his battle with cancer.

Anybody has had – or who has known somebody who suffered from cancer will know that it’s a cruel disease. It shows no mercy and the drugs that go with the treatment can strip even the strongest in character down to barely recognizable skeletons.

And The Verve once said that the drugs don’t work, they just make you worse, but as enigmas do, Wade has defied the norm and all the odds, he’s kicked a ruthless disease in the teeth and he’s achieved things that most of us can only dream of and for that, he deserves all the success in the world. For people who get knocked down, people who get flung into the deepest depths of despair and who have the courage to get up, dust themselves off and carry on are people from whom we can all learn. They are heroes. And God knows, the world needs more heroes.

With credit to The Sydney Morning Herald.

About the author:

Ant likes bad cricket romances, some say she is a masochist. A Saffa, who has a soft spot for the West Indies and also supports Arsenal. "Some" might be right.

mspr1nt has written 142 posts on Wicket Maiden. Want more? Follow mspr1nt on Twitter.