Australian cricketer opens up about beating cancer and returning to cricket

Australian cricketer Nic Maddinson has opened up about his emotional and physical battle with testicular cancer, a journey that tested his strength both on and off the field. The 33-year-old, who has played three Tests and six T20Is for Australia, discovered a lump earlier this year but initially delayed getting it checked, a decision he now admits could have been life-altering.

It wasn’t until a post-season medical review with Cricket Australia’s Dr John Orchard that scans revealed a tumour. Surgery followed quickly, but Maddinson’s world shifted again when doctors found the cancer had spread to his abdominal lymph nodes and lung, requiring urgent chemotherapy.

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Battling Through the Storm

“Once I found out I had to have chemo, that was pretty hard to deal with,” Maddinson told The Sydney Morning Herald. Over nine weeks, he endured three cycles of chemotherapy, losing his hair, fighting fatigue, and confronting sleepless nights. Through it all, his partner Bianca was his pillar of strength. “There were days when it broke me mentally… Imagine if I hadn’t gone to the doctor,” he said.

Hope, Recovery, and a New Perspective

Eight weeks after completing treatment in July, Maddinson received the news every patient hopes for: his tests were clear. Now, as he rebuilds his fitness, he’s taking a measured return through Sydney Premier Cricket and New South Wales’ second XI, before aiming higher.

“I’d still love to play Test cricket again,” he smiled. But being healthy and back on the field is what matters most.

Maddinson now uses his story to encourage early detection, urging others: “If you’re worried, get checked. It can make all the difference.”