Yuvraj Singh's recent cancer diagnosis – "mediastinal seminoma", a germ-cell tumour located between his lungs – has come as a major setback for the Indian batsman. However, the 30-year-old can seek inspiration from a host of athletes who have battled cancer to return to the sports arena, some even going on achieve historic landmarks. Here, we take a look at famous athletes who battled adversity to make stirring comebacks to their respective sports.
Lance Armstrong
The most famous cancer recovery story in sports, Armstrong is an inspiration to athletes around the world for his determination to battle the odds. At the age of 25, Armstrong was diagnosed with testicular cancer. It was not a small tumour; he had metastasized cancer that had spread through from his testicle through his lungs and into his brain. The cancer required immediate surgery, which resulted in the removal of several brain tumours and a testicle, as well as immediate chemotherapy.
When he first began treatment in 1996, Armstrong was told that his chance at survival was 40 percent. He did much more than survive; he won an unprecedented seven consecutive Tour de France medals and, perhaps more importantly, founded the Lance Armstrong Foundation to help fight cancer. Against the odds, he survived and persevered.
Mario Lemieux
Regarded as one of the most naturally talented ice hockey players, Lemieux was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma at the height of his powers in 1993. His fabled feats on ice aside, his most remarkable feat is overcoming Hodgkin's disease, a cancer of the lymph nodes that had taken the life of one of his cousins, and a debilitating back injury.
Remarkably, Lemieux returned to the sport after radiation treatment and on October 26, 1995, scored his 500th career goal playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins in his 650thgame, becoming the second-fastest player to reach the landmark.
When asked which was a tougher hockey task for him, battling back from Hodgkin's disease or coming back to action after a three-and-a-half year layoff, Lemieux said: "I think the one coming back from the radiation treatments was probably the most successful, I would think because of the fact that I didn't train for six weeks and just went to the hospital every day and I had radiation treatments and my strength was depleted. To be able to come back, I think I averaged close to three points or over three points in the last few games to catch Pat LaFontaine was probably the best of all the comebacks."
Dave Callaghan
The former South African cricketer was diagnosed with testicular cancer in September 1991. He received treatment and returned to full health to receive his maiden call-up to the national squad a year later. The defining moment of his international career was a tremendous all-round performance against New Zealand at Centurion during the Mandela Trophy in 1994, in what was Callaghan's first innings after recovering from cancer. Opening the batting, he hit an unbeaten 169 off 143 balls and took a career-best 3 for 32 to help South Africa to victory, and with it the Man-of-the-Match award.
In later years, while using his celebrity status to promote cancer awareness, Callaghan credited a positive, attacking approach in helping both his healing process and his cricketing career. "In my first game back for Eastern Province at St George's, I made 60-odd against (then) Transvaal. To this day it sticks out as one of the highlights of my career and I still get gooseflesh thinking about it."
Mike Lowell
A year after he made his Major League Baseball debut for the New York Yankees, third baseman Mike Lowell was diagnosed with testicular cancer at the age of 24. Lowell's cancer was first detected on February 19, 1999 but by May 29 he was in the Florida Marlins' line-up after missing all of spring training and nearly two months of the MLB season.
Lowell underwent surgery Feb. 21 and had his testicle removed. He then went through three weeks of radiation treatment that he said, "knocked him out." In three days, Lowell lost about 10 pounds but slowly regained the weight and as his body learned to deal with the radiation, he returned to the minor leagues. After just four games, the Marlins recalled him on April 13. In the 12 years since Lowell defeated cancer, he has won three World Series titles and been named to the All-Star team four times.
Eric Abidal
In March of 2011, French footballer Eric Abidal was told that he had a tumour on his liver that required immediate surgery. Two months later, he was back with his club Barcelona team-mates and played the entire duration of Barcelona's 3-1 defeat of Manchester United in the Champions League final. In a moving gesture to mark his recovery, Abidal's team-mates gave him the captain's armband as well as allowing him to be the first in the team to raise the trophy in front of 85,000 people at Wembley Stadium.
"Every time I heard those applause,” said Abidal, "I realised that I had so many people behind me and that gave me so much strength to return."
Edna Campbell
Edna Campbell is a retired women's basketball player who is best known for continuing to play in the WNBA despite suffering from breast cancer. The 5'8" guard was diagnosed with breast cancer during her fourth season as a professional, but triumphantly went on to defeat the cancer and return to play for several more years. In 2006, her return to basketball was voted the "most inspirational moment" in WNBA history. Campbell became and inspiring symbol to many cancer survivors.
Eric Davis
All-star baseball player Eric Davis was diagnosed with colon cancer during the 1997 season, and his bold admittance to return the same season proved inspirational. He underwent surgery the very next day, and went on to receive chemotherapy around his workouts and games. He also cut down his consumption of alcohol and fatty and fried foods. In September 1997, Davis returned to the field during the play-offs and surprised everyone with his determination and physical prowess despite receiving chemotherapy. Afterward, he became the first player ever to hit more than 30 home runs and steal fifty bases in a single season. Throughout his career, Davis won almost every major award in baseball.
Josh Bidwell
Former Washington Redskins punter Josh Bidwell was in his rookie season when he when he first noticed an irregularity with his testicles. Doctors told him the cancer had spread beyond his testicles, and Bidwell was put on chemotherapy after having had emergency surgery. After chemotherapy sessions, Bidwell lost 50 pounds and was barely able to walk. But, remarkably, he made a famous return to the football field after six months of rehab. His best year came in 2005 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, when he was named for the Pro Bowl.
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