July 22, 2026 • 39 mins
Rugby Direct is back with Elliott Smith and Liam Napier, joined in studio by Blues loose forward Cameron Suafoa for an inspiring and candid conversation.
Suafoa opens up on one of the toughest periods of his life and career after being diagnosed with a rare sarcoma, detailing the battle that followed, the support that helped him through, and the perspective he has gained from the experience.
He also reflects on his return to professional rugby, his journey back to the Blues, and living with a terminal cancer diagnosis.
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks EDB. Follow
this and our Wide Ranger podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Straight Down the Middle of Trunk Guy, try to.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
Get inside the game from Every end Goal. It's Rugby
Direct with Elliott Smith and Liam Napier powered by News
Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Welcome into Rugby Direct powered by Access Solutions elevation you
and your business to a higher level. A special guest
on Rugby Direct today former Blues forward Cameron saw Forward,
joining myself and Liam on the podcast. You might know
Cameron's story. He announced earlier this year that he had
been diagnosed with terminal cancer. He was first diagnosed in
(01:01):
November of twenty twenty three with the high grade star coma.
You underwent six weeks of radiation treatment, which also included
him playing before taking a break. He got back out
onto the rugby field, made the Moldy All Blacks, secured
a spot back in the Blues, but then was diagnosed
with cancer again. He now inst earlier in the year
that it was terminal. He continues to fight. He continues
(01:22):
to raise awareness for sarcoma. He is doing an incredible
job at doing just that, and it was great to
have him and his wife Brits in the studio to
lovely human beings. We hope that you can take something
out of this chat with Cam. He is an inspiring
human being and without any further ado, Cameron saw four
(01:43):
here on Rugby Directs.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
Rugby direct with Elliott Smith and Liam Navier, powered by
News Talk zeb Here every All Blacks game live and
free on air and on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Camp Store four. Welcome into Rugby Directs. So grateful that
you've you've come in and joined us on the podcast.
We'll get into some discussion, but we're speaking on the
weekend after Anton Signa made his debut. Your Blues teammates
must have been pretty special to see him make his
all black Staville of the over the weekend against Italy.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
Yeah, it was unreal to see him right out there,
especially in front of his family as well. He flew
all the way over from Germany, so yeah, stoked as
for him, and then yeah, he played pretty well to.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Pretty crazy story. Isn't it to beck yourself to come
over from Germany and then becoming all black?
Speaker 3 (02:33):
Yeah, there's probably probably something not many people would have
would have done, especially I guess in his position where
rugby isn't the biggest sport over there. So no, it's
a pretty amazing journey to witness.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
Your rugby career. When did you start stop playing rugby?
Speaker 3 (02:50):
I was probably pretty late in terms of my other people.
I grew up playing rugby league. Actually yeah, my whole
my whole family. They are league supporters as a league household.
But probably started when I was fourteen or fifteen, which
is relatively late, I.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
Guess started getting into rip teams and things like that.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
Yes or no. Probably the first year I played I
was fourteen. I didn't make anything other than the fourteenth
for school, so I sawt stuffter this, I'll go back
to league, no good at rugby, and then eventually came back,
got convinced to come back. And you have played first
with them and then in my last years made the
(03:32):
Barbarians team and then academies after that.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
So yeah, ain't got the nod for North Harbor at
some point all the way.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
Yeah, originally I was at Auckland for a few years. Ye,
So I did academy there, played one game for the
NPC side and got injured and then moved down to Tasman.
You have played one game there and then moved back
up there and then eventually ended and ended up at
North Harbor.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
Nice.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
So yeah, what do you make the switch between the
league and union.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
I went and watched a game of league and I'm sorry.
My uncle took me to a game of league club
footy and there was about five people there and then
he said all right. And then there was a game
against Saint Peter's Saint Kent's for fresh with me, and
then I went to that game and then there was
about two thousand people there and I was like, oh,
(04:28):
this is not too bad. So I thought I'd give
a rugby a crack.
Speaker 4 (04:31):
So, yeah, you've always been a lot close forward than rugby.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
Yeah, yeah, there was a lot all the way in school.
I wasn't until I left school. Then I started transitioning
out to the I guess the loose.
Speaker 4 (04:44):
Wards and any other sports. Basketball.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
I tried to. Tried a few basketball, badminton, yeah, league
in the summer, touch tag. So yeah, I had a
crack at everything. Really, I tried to.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
And when did the nod from the Blues come that
you got the selection to Super Rugby.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
U twenty twenty one was my first year of the organization.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
Heckle was that.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
Yeah, it was dream come true or something, especially being
from Auckland. It was a team that I followed heavily,
alongside the Warriors as well. So yeah, definitely a dream
come true to be part of something like that, and
then was lucky enough to play for them for a
few years too.
Speaker 4 (05:30):
Who were some of the superstars. I guess you know
there's some of the rock stars of the Blues when
you were young watching them play.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
Uh, well, yeah, heaps giving me a lamu during kind
of probably the ones that I followed the most. And
then once I started, I guess playing a bit more,
people like the Juani Brothers and things like that.
Speaker 4 (05:52):
So yeah, and then when you make the team, rubbing
shoulders with some of those guys's pretty cool.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
Yeah, it was something I probably wasn't thinking about earlier.
But to be able to be in the same I
guess she toled those guys and rob shoulders with them
has been Yeah, I drink and true.
Speaker 4 (06:09):
Was there always a dream to a desire that you
chase to be a professional ethnic professional rugby player.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
Probably not a professional rugby player. I probably what I
wanted to play for the Warriors growing up as a
young kid watching them, But then yeah, once you know,
playing with my mates and school and stuff like that,
and seeing that I could make this, maybe make this
a career out of this. So I probably wasn't until
(06:41):
the later years that I really think I could.
Speaker 4 (06:44):
Actually do it and still follow the Warriors now oh yeah, definitely, Yeah,
still follow them heavily, so not just on the band
way like everyone else.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
Definitely what did you learn.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
About I guess professional rugby and playing those you know,
those seasons for the Blues. Once you got on the
camp in twenty twenty one, what was it the big
lessons about playing professional sport?
Speaker 3 (07:05):
The biggest lesson was probably as a harsh lesson. I
guess it's like how unprepared I was for it, not
only physically, but how mentally joining it could be. I
had to learn that early on, but I had heaps
of people to learn from that helped me out along
the journey, so that made it a little bit easier.
(07:26):
But probably just yeah, not only the physical load.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
But the mental load backing up week and week out,
and yeah, and sometimes.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
It can be tough, obviously if it's your first year
and you're not playing that much and just trying to
stay motivated to you know, still be a good teammate,
still provide something towards the team. Yeah, that was probably
the biggest lesson.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
And obviously the Blues begin to rise over those years
as well, and culminates in a championship and a couple
of years ago, which must have been a pretty special
road to be on.
Speaker 3 (07:58):
Yeah, it is. It is something to be happy to
be a part of something special like that. It's pretty cool.
You don't really know it's until I guess post the
championship and things like that, but just the journey to
I guess, come from generally the bottom of the table
(08:18):
to you know, to take it out. It has been unreal.
Speaker 4 (08:23):
And having grown up in Auckland and I guess watched
the Blues not do so well to bring success to
the region, what's been pretty special.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
Yeah, that's something I'm pretty grateful to be a part
of and to do with some of my closest mates too. Yeah,
it's been unreal.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
As part of that, obviously, in twenty twenty four, the
news comes out that you've got sarcoma. Just took us
through how that played out, how you noticed something was
wrong because Bretton the studio is a physio, I know that,
and she was obviously spotted something wasn't right.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
What happened, I was actually during a PC. I had
come home from a game and we were just I'm
eating dinner and I just went to pick up something
off the ground and that's when she noticed there was
a lump through my shirt. And I wasn't too sure
what it was. I just thought it was just from rugby,
(09:22):
just you know, bumps and bruises, because I always come
home with like scratches and stuff. So I didn't think
too much of it. And then, yeah, it wasn't until
I went and got it checked out from the medical stuff.
They didn't think much too much of it either, so
I pretty much brushed it for the for that season anyway.
(09:43):
And then it wasn't until I was getting ready for
the Blues pre season. Some of the medical stuff happened
to be in the same time I was in there
at the gym, and then I just ye went in
and asked them and asked him to check it out too,
and then that's when they, yeah, pulled it up as
a bit of a red flag. And then that's when
I started getting all the tests blood tests in myries
(10:05):
and things like that after.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
So, yeah, because it's the rea redcancer, isn't it. So
you didn't have any other symptoms or anything like that
other than what was showing anybody, No.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
No other symptoms. It wasn't painful to touch, or I
wasn't sore when I was being over or anything like that.
So it definitely caught me by surprise. I just thought
it was a I don't know what, it was, just
just a massive bump that I was hoping it would
go away but obviously didn't. And then yeah, we took
(10:36):
the steps from there just to get it checked over.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
What were those months like as you're sort of waiting
for a diagnosis and then you, I mean, it obviously
happened during NPC and there wasn't untill Super Rugby until
you've sort of found that out pretty Super Rugby season.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
Yeah, at the time, I was pretty blase about it.
I didn't think about it too much. I was still
definitely in the mindset of getting ready for another season,
so to be fair, I wasn't too worried about it
until we got the core saying that it was a
rare sort of cancer sarcoma. Even then, I still didn't
(11:12):
understand what it was really. I think the realization actually
came when I was getting prepared for surgery. That's when
it sort of hit me that things are getting serious now.
So yeah, I wouldn't say I was overly worried to
begin with, but things quickly came after that.
Speaker 4 (11:31):
And the recovery from from back sudio was pretty tough.
You effectively had to learn to walk again, right.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
Yeah, So my first one, they had taken the tumor
out and a bit of the bottom half of my lap,
So that was the first one, and uh, yeah, that
was tough to sort of learn how to walk again
and just every day functions and things like that. And
(12:00):
then yeah, I was lucky enough to be able to
rehab my way back into playing a couple of games
before I had to have a even bigger one.
Speaker 4 (12:09):
Asked to post it, and during that time, have you
have you told everyone or you've kept this sort of
in the house.
Speaker 3 (12:22):
During that period of During that period, I was, I'd
only kept it close to me from my wife and
a few of my friends. Like I had this feeling
of embarrassment and I was I didn't want to tell
my family, even my my other mates. I didn't want
to tell them. I kept it close to my close
(12:46):
to me for a few months before I really started
to tell everyone.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
Really, so you played super rugby while you're getting radiation,
that's right.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
Yeah, So I didn't even tell any of my teammates.
I was just telling them I was just having doctor's
appointments just because I was so focused on because we're
having a pretty good year that yeah, And I didn't
I guess wanted to be a distraction, not only for
myself but for the team as well. So yeah, I
(13:21):
even had it from my teammates and would train and
then in the afternoons have treatment.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
What was that like, having treatment and then going and
playing eighty minutes of rugby on the weekend at a
professional higher level.
Speaker 3 (13:36):
Yeah, well, training and playing is hard enough when you're healthy,
and just you know, adding that extra load was definitely tough.
I was. I was probably stubborn as well. The stubborness
probably helped me to push through things, just like, just
because I didn't want to be such a burden to
(13:58):
anyone or even towards the team. So I don't know
if that helped me really, but yeah, it was just
it was hard looking back on it now, but at
the time I thought it was just something I needed
to do.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
It's a classic Kiwi male sort of thing, isn't it.
You just pick it up and keep going and.
Speaker 3 (14:15):
Yeah, I don't want to worry others. Yeah, that's definitely
what it was.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
And then you come back against the Rebels, is that right?
And Melbourne or and come back home against the Rebels
after Sugar there was only a few months later. What
was that like getting back out on the parking.
Speaker 3 (14:32):
Probably a sigh relief, just knowing that I've been able to,
I guess, come back to the highest level that I
could at that time, and just to be back amongst
the team. And I feel like I'm fully you know,
integrated now and helping the team towards a successful season.
Speaker 4 (14:55):
And Roby must feel like a real outlet or release
from everything else.
Speaker 3 (15:01):
Yeah, definitely takes you training. If it takes my mind
off things being around the team, the boys, Yeah, lift
my spirits and things like that. So it was a
massive release with me.
Speaker 4 (15:13):
And you had, you know, kids in the crowds with
signs and family come to the games and all those
sorts of things.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
Yeah, that was that was cool to see. I really
appreciated it and just see everyone welcomed me back was
a special feeling.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
What was that like once the team did know and
the beginning to obviously march towards the title that year
and you're involved everything like that. What was that season
like as a whole being in that camp.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
Yeah, once I let them know, it was it was
more of a weight off my shoulders, and you know,
everyone was so supportive, everyone back in me. And then
when I had to have surgery again and when I
was going through my recovery stage, they were there with
me in me in hospital and at home, always chicken
(16:04):
in on me. So yeah, they were a.
Speaker 4 (16:07):
Huge Who are some ye best mates on that team?
Speaker 3 (16:12):
Probably some that I went to school with, aj Harry
Flummer before he left, and even some of the guys
that I grew up playing league with, like Daniel Utla
and things like that. So far, so all those boys,
but I'd say like that whole team really yeah, and.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
What's been cool to be champions that year is a
long wait for Auckland as a whole and in the region,
but to lift the championship must have been pretty special.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
Yeah, one hundred even just to be a small part
of that journey towards the championship. It's been huge to
see what I did for not only the organization that
the city and the boys, the older boys that have
been there, I guess through those you know, those dark times,
to see them able to lift that trophy at the
(17:03):
end there. Yeah, as a special.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
Slight in twenty twenty four as well. Obviously come back
and you get so good for the Mouldy All Blacks
as well.
Speaker 3 (17:11):
How cool was that? Yeah, that's such a special team
to be a part of. It's probably one of the
one of my favorite, if not my favorite teams to
be a part of. Just the unity that that you
feel being amongst them and just being in the team
(17:31):
that you know that you'll share the same blood as
something special.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
Could you believe it that you know what had happened
over the last few months and then you're playing international
rugby with the Muldi or Blacks.
Speaker 3 (17:42):
Honestly, I wasn't expecting anything like that. I was just
happy to be back playing for the Blues. But to
have that in the year off was a huge honor
and yeah, so special.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
We often hear from the outside what it's like to
be in the Mouldial Blacks camp and you've give us
a good insight there. But obviously there's a lot of
customs and various things. But you say it seems like
everyon Forge is a really tight bond when they play
for the Muldi or Blacks.
Speaker 3 (18:07):
Yeah, one hundred percent, because I would say I wasn't
raised in a traditional house moldy household, so there was
always times where you almost felt like you didn't deserve
to be there. But in that environment, they make it
so well known that everyone depending on what level of
(18:27):
Maldi you speak or but how comfortable you are, it's
you know, it's inclusive, it's for everyone, and then that's
what makes it really enjoyable time. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (18:40):
Did was it special to I guess connect with that
part of yourself, you know, whether it be a hacker
or a whiter or visiting Mary maybe things that you
hadn't hadn't done for a while.
Speaker 3 (18:55):
Yeah, one hundred percent, just because I guess I wasn't
really raised that way and to be able to connect
back to a part of myself that you know, wasn't
I didn't really know much about it was it was
insightful and it made me want to, I guess explore
(19:16):
more about that side of myself, and you know, it
takes sort of There's a group of us at the Blues.
They were taking Mold lessons and just trying to small
things just I guess help us understand more about ourselves.
Speaker 2 (19:32):
So, yeah, and you played for the All Blacks fifteen
as well on a Was it Japan as well?
Speaker 3 (19:38):
I think, yeah, yeah, there's a two games against Japan.
There another a huge honor in Milestone for myself. Had
my family come over, my dad and then Break flew
over also, so having them their familiar faces in the
crowd definitely helped. And then ye're also being a part
(19:58):
of that team was unreal.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
Did you feel that maybe the All Blacks were in
touch and reach at that point you played for the
Maldi All Blacks, the All Blacks fifteen. Was that part
of your thinking at all?
Speaker 3 (20:09):
Or I wouldn't say it was at the forefront of
my mind, but I guess like every every kid or
every provisional athlete, that is where you're a spider b.
So it was in the back of my mind, But
it wasn't something that you know, I was relying on
or really just you know, hanging my hopes on. It was.
I always sort of it came, it came. If it didn't,
(20:30):
then I'll just keep working away.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
And then obviously playing again, and then you hear that
the cancer returns. How how long was that sort of
gap getting back out on the park and then hearing
that news again?
Speaker 3 (20:45):
Uh? How long was that gap?
Speaker 1 (20:51):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (20:51):
It was over a year? Sorry, yeah it was. It
was devastating to hear it was. It wasn't something I
was ready for just because I was back playing. I'm
not playing, sorry, I was back training amongst the team,
(21:13):
slowly sort of learning how to run again. I was
trying to do everything my power to get fit and
strong again. So I was definitely focused on getting back
to playing rugby again. And then it was just a
routine catch up and yeah, I was on told the
fortunate the news that it had come back. Not only
(21:35):
had it come back, but it was it was terminal
by then, so something I wasn't expecting because I had
just come from training and I had left all my
kit there, so I was expecting to go back to
finish off training. So yeah, definitely blindsided me.
Speaker 4 (21:50):
How do you begin to confront something like that like
you're a naturally positive, upbeat person, right, how do you
even begin to process that?
Speaker 3 (22:08):
I just remember him telling me that it had come back,
and then probably just almost daydreaming, like just talking to myself,
almost not believing the news. And then yeah, I guess
once I came back to my senses, there was you know,
(22:31):
a lot of tears and just letting all the emotions
out really, and then this time I ended up telling
my family straight away just to I guess, get that
stress off my test. And then yeah, just a lot
of tears with them also, So yeah, just a whole
(22:52):
lot of emotions and not knowing how to react really.
But it took me a few a few moments to
sort of gather myself, and then I guess, not sort
of planning what was next, but trying to figure out
what the next steps are towards whatever the next year
(23:12):
this part of the journey is.
Speaker 4 (23:14):
And in terms of what's next, obviously you and you
know expediate things and you get engaged and get married
and go on your honeymoon. How how special was that?
I think you guys went to fifteen countries and I
had a beautiful wedding and those things.
Speaker 3 (23:29):
Yeah, so we decided to do a massive trip over
to Europe for a few months there, so that was
that was definitely a highlight was the year. Got up
with mates over there, ate some good food, enjoyed ourselves
and then yeah, when we came back, we got married
(23:52):
down and pop Moore, which was real special, just a
small one, just our families and friends. And then we
came back to Okland had another and another I guess wedding,
but it was just more of a party of a
few of the boys because they could actually make that one.
So yeah, definitely on a real time for us. And
(24:13):
then post all of that good stuff, we oh sorry,
that's when I started the treatment for chemo. So you've
been doing a few cycles right now and I do
it once every two weeks on a Thursday, just down
the road not too far from here, and then you're
(24:36):
just currently having another cycle next week too, So what
does that look like?
Speaker 4 (24:45):
What's that experience like for people who don't know? Is
it pretty pretty texting? Can you still get out and
enjoy your life around it?
Speaker 3 (24:58):
Yeah, it's when I have When I have chemo, that
week is pretty much a ride off. Well, especially those
first couple of days afterwards it I was just yeah,
a bunch of recovery, just mainly sleeping really uh, and
then when I'm starting to feel right, I'll try to
(25:18):
get out, go for coffees and try to keep trying
to have like such a normal life.
Speaker 2 (25:26):
Yeah, how did you just go back to your winning?
How did you go about throwing a winning together so quickly?
Speaker 3 (25:31):
How did you how did you pull it all together? Well,
to be fair, I didn't really planning. Anytime I try
to help, it made it worse. It was you'd have
to ask your actually to help. Its about what about? Yeah? Yeah,
(26:02):
so we were traveling and then she was traveling and planning.
I was just enjoying myself. We had our close group
of mates back here. They were coordinating everything and checking
in off Brett and then so yeah, they were hugel.
Speaker 2 (26:19):
There's there's a real nice line in the story about
you're wedding on in the Woman's Day that you say
that this is not a sad story. How do you
get the mindset to make it a positive a positive story?
Speaker 3 (26:32):
This?
Speaker 2 (26:32):
You know, obviously getting married is great, but the whole
thing that comes with it.
Speaker 3 (26:36):
Yeah, I think actually Britt said that.
Speaker 2 (26:44):
It's such a lovely line regardless.
Speaker 3 (26:50):
Yeah, I guess I'm not too sure. It's just, yeah,
I think I've I've come to terms with things, and
I'm not someone that likes to waste energy on things
that I can't change. So I can't be stressing about
(27:10):
what has already happened, well, especially things that yeah, I
can't change. So I'd rather spend energy and time elsewhere
and looking on the positive things and looking forward to
building things while we can. So yeah, that's probably the biggest.
Speaker 4 (27:25):
Reason why, just with the European trip, lots of foreign countries,
travel can be a bit of a ride. Any any
memories that stand out, any any good stories Brett's laughing, baby, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (27:42):
Good stories. Probably. I definitely enjoyed my time over there.
Speaker 2 (27:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (27:55):
Yeah. The one time I try to plan an excursion,
it was a dog's leading in Norway and traumso because
obviously Britt was planning the wedding and the trip of
the same time. So I was like, you know, I'll
take this off your hands. I'll plan something. I'll sort
it out. So I had booked our dogs letting experience
(28:20):
that I thought was in the area we were staying.
Come to the morning of said dogs letting. Luckily, Britt
woke up early and she actually checked where the meeting
point was and it was actually two and a half
hours away from where we were st because I thought
(28:40):
I had read it was in Tromso, but I didn't
actually read where the pickup point was, and so she
woke me up in a panic and was like, you
realize this is not where we were staying. So she
was online trying to figure out how we could make
our way to this pick up point. We were downloading
apps trying to organize taxis, but I was just so expensive.
(29:05):
And luckily enough, the company we had booked replied to
Britain message on Facebook and they're like, you need to
catch this bus and get off of this stop and
someone will come pick you up. So yeah, So we
sprinted down to the bus terminal, hopped on and they
couldn't really speak English, so we're just pointing at this
(29:27):
word that we had wrote down the stop. They gave
us a thumbs up, like see yeah, and two hours
later they gave us a thumbs up again. It's like, yeah,
this is your start. So we jumped off, the bus
took off and we're just standing in the middle of
this icy snow road, no buildings anywhere, and I'm thinking
(29:47):
to myself, we've just hopped off in the middle of nowhere.
We've got no reception. It's about minus fourteen, and we're
just looking at each other like how are we going
to get home now? And then yeah, and then lucky enough,
someone did come and pick us up. This old dude,
this crazy like raccoon hat just stuck his head out.
(30:09):
Is are you the Kuies? Yeah, that's us. Yeah, he's
like offen, We're off.
Speaker 2 (30:16):
So what was the dogs living like after the ordeal?
Actually did enjoy it?
Speaker 3 (30:22):
Oh? Yeah, it was unreal. I don't think they expected
or they realized how big I was, because they only
gave us the sled of four dogs, and so when
we were trying to go up hills, I actually had
to jump off and push push up. These paid all
this money just as all work out two and a
(30:43):
half hours away.
Speaker 4 (30:44):
From where we're staying, and you probably wouldn't allowed to
plan anything for the rest of the trip.
Speaker 3 (30:49):
No, No, that was me done.
Speaker 2 (30:53):
It's part of all of us.
Speaker 3 (30:54):
Obviously.
Speaker 2 (30:54):
You you announced publicly on social media that that you've
got terminal cancer, and then we see the Blues get
them behind you shaving their heads, dying the head blonde.
How cool was that to see?
Speaker 3 (31:07):
Yeah, that was so unexpected. I was already going in
to watch a few trainings here and there when I could,
and then just going in that day to see or
they had died here, and then obviously some of the
boys shaving their heads too. I was definitely taken back
by it. I wasn't expecting anything like that, so yeah,
(31:27):
it was. It was very definitely moving.
Speaker 4 (31:32):
Who's got the best and worst haircuts?
Speaker 3 (31:36):
Oh? The best, I'd say probably Bears because he was
the only one that actually got it done properly. Yeah,
so he's as well as by father Vests. And then
the worst at the time was probably Bangers his aunt's Yeah,
Scallar blonde scalar. Yeah, that was definitely a sight.
Speaker 2 (32:00):
Still rocking it now because I saw Bidons at the
All Black s Airport yesterday, still still got the blond tints.
It must be cool just to see that, you know,
and they're on the All Black Sea and now and
still ripping it.
Speaker 3 (32:09):
Yeah. No, it's definitely cool just to see it on
the international stage, so it means a lot. So it's
been under.
Speaker 2 (32:14):
Here how important in this whole thing you're promoting sarcoma
awareness to be an ambassador to get the word out.
Speaker 3 (32:22):
It's huguely important. I thought it was a good idea
just to use my platform or whatever what kind of
platform that I do have, just spread awareness about such
a rare cancer that doesn't really have too much information
about it. So I thought it was important just, yeah,
(32:46):
bring people's attention towards something that is unfortunately starting to
be a lot more common. And there's been a lot
of people that have reached out with you know, different
stories with how it's helped them, and so yeah, that's
just really important for me just to I guess, help
(33:08):
those poll especially the older generation that probably aren't too
tech savvy and who can sort of voice their own
opinions or advocate for themselves. So yeah, that's probably the
main reason.
Speaker 4 (33:23):
Can you share with us any people that have you
reached out and that you've made a difference through this journey?
Speaker 3 (33:32):
Uh? Probably? I guess One person is his name is Tom.
We we catch up for coffees and we're meant to
catch up again, but he's been a bit under the
weather at the moment. He's someone that's I guess helped
me along my journey too. He's a very positive and
(33:55):
outgoing person. He still works being even though that he's
you know too male ill and has a a different
type of psychometal than me. But he's yeah, someone that
I guess we've helped each other in this journey. So
and there's another girl, Hailey, who's a bit like me
(34:20):
that's try to advocate and spread awareness for the foundation.
So probably those two.
Speaker 4 (34:27):
And you've had players across the sporting spectrum rugby league,
other sports as well do the this try screen celebrations
and whatnot. How how special is it to have that
impact and and for people to get on board.
Speaker 3 (34:45):
Yeah, it's been it's been amazing to see the amount
of support that has been generated just from that try
celebration and to see it on the weekends when when
on the international stage or for Super Rugby FBC and
the Woman's rugby as well, it's been unreal. I still
(35:08):
get messages from parents and seeing their kids do it
just at their local footy wherever they are, and it's
been special to see the I guess the movement that
it's sort of started, and yeah, what it is now?
Speaker 2 (35:23):
You touched on it for what does a week look
like for you at the moment you're still training in
the gym, I saw, I think on social media and
making sure you're keeping active as well.
Speaker 3 (35:33):
Yeah. I try to keep things as relatively normal as
I can when I can. So yeah, just I guess
trying to get back to the gym, not doing anything crazy.
It's just smare to get moving and no more dogs letting. Yeah,
(35:53):
just things just to keep me moving, keep my mind
like ticking over. Yeah, I got two dogs at home,
so when I can, I'll take them out for a
walk for a bit of fresh air and going out
to cafes, going to get coffees with some mates. And
I've been doing my own power reviews.
Speaker 4 (36:15):
Bakeries, intrigued, who's who's winning that race, what's the leading.
Speaker 3 (36:21):
The best one I had is probably one next to
sell in College Oliverus Bakery. They do a good beef
briskit and double cheese pie.
Speaker 4 (36:31):
Nice.
Speaker 3 (36:33):
But obviously did my research online and go to all
the popular ones to like Parrington's winning and pie.
Speaker 2 (36:40):
You I was gonna say traditional sort of steak and
cheese or steak or willing to branch out with what
kind of PI.
Speaker 3 (36:46):
Are you like I was gonna say, I'm actually a
bacon nig pie person. It's not many people like, so
I'll get one of those and then whatever the specialties
of the place that we're going to, oh a crack
(37:08):
at that too.
Speaker 2 (37:10):
Amongst all this, How important has been supporting it work,
like like your family, like your teammates in all of this.
Speaker 3 (37:17):
Yeah, it's been. It's been massive. I can't explain how
much of like having a good support system really does
help you. I don't need physically, but mentally you can
rely on someone just to get things off your chest
and just really keep you grounded. And I guess yeah,
(37:43):
having having your back really it's been so important.
Speaker 2 (37:46):
What's your message to que male or females you know
that perhaps you know have noticed something.
Speaker 3 (37:54):
Yeah, if there's anything like that looks unusual, lumps, bumps
anywhere on your body is definitely get it checked out,
your local doctor, GP, just anyone really that you think
they will have a bit more information about it. So
I encourage everyone to go get checked over and don't
(38:16):
leave it so late like my guy did.
Speaker 2 (38:17):
Unfortunately, Cam really appreciate you sharing your journey with us
has been lovely in the chat and wishing you all
the best thinking about Thank you very much for having
me appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (38:27):
Rugby Direct with Elliott Smith and Liam Navier, powered by
News Talks ed be here every All Blacks game live
and free on air and on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (38:37):
So grate forward to Cameron so far for his time
and if you are able. Psychomer Awareness Month continues through
until the end of July. We'd encourage you to dig
deep for any cause that relates and fundraisers for that
that has been Rugby Direct. We're back next week. We
have a South Africa tour squad for the All Blacks
to look forward to them. Thanks for your company and
(39:00):
thanks to Mark Kelly for producing. We'll see you next week.
Speaker 1 (39:03):
For more from News Talks ed b listen live on
air or online and keep out shows with you wherever
you go without podcasts on iHeartRadio
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks EDB. Follow
this and our Wide Ranger podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Straight Down the Middle of Trunk Guy, try to.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
Get inside the game from Every end Goal. It's Rugby
Direct with Elliott Smith and Liam Napier powered by News
Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Welcome into Rugby Direct powered by Access Solutions elevation you
and your business to a higher level. A special guest
on Rugby Direct today former Blues forward Cameron saw Forward,
joining myself and Liam on the podcast. You might know
Cameron's story. He announced earlier this year that he had
been diagnosed with terminal cancer. He was first diagnosed in
(01:01):
November of twenty twenty three with the high grade star coma.
You underwent six weeks of radiation treatment, which also included
him playing before taking a break. He got back out
onto the rugby field, made the Moldy All Blacks, secured
a spot back in the Blues, but then was diagnosed
with cancer again. He now inst earlier in the year
that it was terminal. He continues to fight. He continues
(01:22):
to raise awareness for sarcoma. He is doing an incredible
job at doing just that, and it was great to
have him and his wife Brits in the studio to
lovely human beings. We hope that you can take something
out of this chat with Cam. He is an inspiring
human being and without any further ado, Cameron saw four
(01:43):
here on Rugby Directs.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
Rugby direct with Elliott Smith and Liam Navier, powered by
News Talk zeb Here every All Blacks game live and
free on air and on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Camp Store four. Welcome into Rugby Directs. So grateful that
you've you've come in and joined us on the podcast.
We'll get into some discussion, but we're speaking on the
weekend after Anton Signa made his debut. Your Blues teammates
must have been pretty special to see him make his
all black Staville of the over the weekend against Italy.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
Yeah, it was unreal to see him right out there,
especially in front of his family as well. He flew
all the way over from Germany, so yeah, stoked as
for him, and then yeah, he played pretty well to.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Pretty crazy story. Isn't it to beck yourself to come
over from Germany and then becoming all black?
Speaker 3 (02:33):
Yeah, there's probably probably something not many people would have
would have done, especially I guess in his position where
rugby isn't the biggest sport over there. So no, it's
a pretty amazing journey to witness.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
Your rugby career. When did you start stop playing rugby?
Speaker 3 (02:50):
I was probably pretty late in terms of my other people.
I grew up playing rugby league. Actually yeah, my whole
my whole family. They are league supporters as a league household.
But probably started when I was fourteen or fifteen, which
is relatively late, I.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
Guess started getting into rip teams and things like that.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
Yes or no. Probably the first year I played I
was fourteen. I didn't make anything other than the fourteenth
for school, so I sawt stuffter this, I'll go back
to league, no good at rugby, and then eventually came back,
got convinced to come back. And you have played first
with them and then in my last years made the
(03:32):
Barbarians team and then academies after that.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
So yeah, ain't got the nod for North Harbor at
some point all the way.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
Yeah, originally I was at Auckland for a few years. Ye,
So I did academy there, played one game for the
NPC side and got injured and then moved down to Tasman.
You have played one game there and then moved back
up there and then eventually ended and ended up at
North Harbor.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
Nice.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
So yeah, what do you make the switch between the
league and union.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
I went and watched a game of league and I'm sorry.
My uncle took me to a game of league club
footy and there was about five people there and then
he said all right. And then there was a game
against Saint Peter's Saint Kent's for fresh with me, and
then I went to that game and then there was
about two thousand people there and I was like, oh,
(04:28):
this is not too bad. So I thought I'd give
a rugby a crack.
Speaker 4 (04:31):
So, yeah, you've always been a lot close forward than rugby.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
Yeah, yeah, there was a lot all the way in school.
I wasn't until I left school. Then I started transitioning
out to the I guess the loose.
Speaker 4 (04:44):
Wards and any other sports. Basketball.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
I tried to. Tried a few basketball, badminton, yeah, league
in the summer, touch tag. So yeah, I had a
crack at everything. Really, I tried to.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
And when did the nod from the Blues come that
you got the selection to Super Rugby.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
U twenty twenty one was my first year of the organization.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
Heckle was that.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
Yeah, it was dream come true or something, especially being
from Auckland. It was a team that I followed heavily,
alongside the Warriors as well. So yeah, definitely a dream
come true to be part of something like that, and
then was lucky enough to play for them for a
few years too.
Speaker 4 (05:30):
Who were some of the superstars. I guess you know
there's some of the rock stars of the Blues when
you were young watching them play.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
Uh, well, yeah, heaps giving me a lamu during kind
of probably the ones that I followed the most. And
then once I started, I guess playing a bit more,
people like the Juani Brothers and things like that.
Speaker 4 (05:52):
So yeah, and then when you make the team, rubbing
shoulders with some of those guys's pretty cool.
Speaker 3 (05:58):
Yeah, it was something I probably wasn't thinking about earlier.
But to be able to be in the same I
guess she toled those guys and rob shoulders with them
has been Yeah, I drink and true.
Speaker 4 (06:09):
Was there always a dream to a desire that you
chase to be a professional ethnic professional rugby player.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
Probably not a professional rugby player. I probably what I
wanted to play for the Warriors growing up as a
young kid watching them, But then yeah, once you know,
playing with my mates and school and stuff like that,
and seeing that I could make this, maybe make this
a career out of this. So I probably wasn't until
(06:41):
the later years that I really think I could.
Speaker 4 (06:44):
Actually do it and still follow the Warriors now oh yeah, definitely, Yeah,
still follow them heavily, so not just on the band
way like everyone else.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
Definitely what did you learn.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
About I guess professional rugby and playing those you know,
those seasons for the Blues. Once you got on the
camp in twenty twenty one, what was it the big
lessons about playing professional sport?
Speaker 3 (07:05):
The biggest lesson was probably as a harsh lesson. I
guess it's like how unprepared I was for it, not
only physically, but how mentally joining it could be. I
had to learn that early on, but I had heaps
of people to learn from that helped me out along
the journey, so that made it a little bit easier.
(07:26):
But probably just yeah, not only the physical load.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
But the mental load backing up week and week out,
and yeah, and sometimes.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
It can be tough, obviously if it's your first year
and you're not playing that much and just trying to
stay motivated to you know, still be a good teammate,
still provide something towards the team. Yeah, that was probably
the biggest lesson.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
And obviously the Blues begin to rise over those years
as well, and culminates in a championship and a couple
of years ago, which must have been a pretty special
road to be on.
Speaker 3 (07:58):
Yeah, it is. It is something to be happy to
be a part of something special like that. It's pretty cool.
You don't really know it's until I guess post the
championship and things like that, but just the journey to
I guess, come from generally the bottom of the table
(08:18):
to you know, to take it out. It has been unreal.
Speaker 4 (08:23):
And having grown up in Auckland and I guess watched
the Blues not do so well to bring success to
the region, what's been pretty special.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
Yeah, that's something I'm pretty grateful to be a part
of and to do with some of my closest mates too. Yeah,
it's been unreal.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
As part of that, obviously, in twenty twenty four, the
news comes out that you've got sarcoma. Just took us
through how that played out, how you noticed something was
wrong because Bretton the studio is a physio, I know that,
and she was obviously spotted something wasn't right.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
What happened, I was actually during a PC. I had
come home from a game and we were just I'm
eating dinner and I just went to pick up something
off the ground and that's when she noticed there was
a lump through my shirt. And I wasn't too sure
what it was. I just thought it was just from rugby,
(09:22):
just you know, bumps and bruises, because I always come
home with like scratches and stuff. So I didn't think
too much of it. And then, yeah, it wasn't until
I went and got it checked out from the medical stuff.
They didn't think much too much of it either, so
I pretty much brushed it for the for that season anyway.
(09:43):
And then it wasn't until I was getting ready for
the Blues pre season. Some of the medical stuff happened
to be in the same time I was in there
at the gym, and then I just ye went in
and asked them and asked him to check it out too,
and then that's when they, yeah, pulled it up as
a bit of a red flag. And then that's when
I started getting all the tests blood tests in myries
(10:05):
and things like that after.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
So, yeah, because it's the rea redcancer, isn't it. So
you didn't have any other symptoms or anything like that
other than what was showing anybody, No.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
No other symptoms. It wasn't painful to touch, or I
wasn't sore when I was being over or anything like that.
So it definitely caught me by surprise. I just thought
it was a I don't know what, it was, just
just a massive bump that I was hoping it would
go away but obviously didn't. And then yeah, we took
(10:36):
the steps from there just to get it checked over.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
What were those months like as you're sort of waiting
for a diagnosis and then you, I mean, it obviously
happened during NPC and there wasn't untill Super Rugby until
you've sort of found that out pretty Super Rugby season.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
Yeah, at the time, I was pretty blase about it.
I didn't think about it too much. I was still
definitely in the mindset of getting ready for another season,
so to be fair, I wasn't too worried about it
until we got the core saying that it was a
rare sort of cancer sarcoma. Even then, I still didn't
(11:12):
understand what it was really. I think the realization actually
came when I was getting prepared for surgery. That's when
it sort of hit me that things are getting serious now.
So yeah, I wouldn't say I was overly worried to
begin with, but things quickly came after that.
Speaker 4 (11:31):
And the recovery from from back sudio was pretty tough.
You effectively had to learn to walk again, right.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
Yeah, So my first one, they had taken the tumor
out and a bit of the bottom half of my lap,
So that was the first one, and uh, yeah, that
was tough to sort of learn how to walk again
and just every day functions and things like that. And
(12:00):
then yeah, I was lucky enough to be able to
rehab my way back into playing a couple of games
before I had to have a even bigger one.
Speaker 4 (12:09):
Asked to post it, and during that time, have you
have you told everyone or you've kept this sort of
in the house.
Speaker 3 (12:22):
During that period of During that period, I was, I'd
only kept it close to me from my wife and
a few of my friends. Like I had this feeling
of embarrassment and I was I didn't want to tell
my family, even my my other mates. I didn't want
to tell them. I kept it close to my close
(12:46):
to me for a few months before I really started
to tell everyone.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
Really, so you played super rugby while you're getting radiation,
that's right.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
Yeah, So I didn't even tell any of my teammates.
I was just telling them I was just having doctor's
appointments just because I was so focused on because we're
having a pretty good year that yeah, And I didn't
I guess wanted to be a distraction, not only for
myself but for the team as well. So yeah, I
(13:21):
even had it from my teammates and would train and
then in the afternoons have treatment.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
What was that like, having treatment and then going and
playing eighty minutes of rugby on the weekend at a
professional higher level.
Speaker 3 (13:36):
Yeah, well, training and playing is hard enough when you're healthy,
and just you know, adding that extra load was definitely tough.
I was. I was probably stubborn as well. The stubborness
probably helped me to push through things, just like, just
because I didn't want to be such a burden to
(13:58):
anyone or even towards the team. So I don't know
if that helped me really, but yeah, it was just
it was hard looking back on it now, but at
the time I thought it was just something I needed
to do.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
It's a classic Kiwi male sort of thing, isn't it.
You just pick it up and keep going and.
Speaker 3 (14:15):
Yeah, I don't want to worry others. Yeah, that's definitely
what it was.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
And then you come back against the Rebels, is that right?
And Melbourne or and come back home against the Rebels
after Sugar there was only a few months later. What
was that like getting back out on the parking.
Speaker 3 (14:32):
Probably a sigh relief, just knowing that I've been able to,
I guess, come back to the highest level that I
could at that time, and just to be back amongst
the team. And I feel like I'm fully you know,
integrated now and helping the team towards a successful season.
Speaker 4 (14:55):
And Roby must feel like a real outlet or release
from everything else.
Speaker 3 (15:01):
Yeah, definitely takes you training. If it takes my mind
off things being around the team, the boys, Yeah, lift
my spirits and things like that. So it was a
massive release with me.
Speaker 4 (15:13):
And you had, you know, kids in the crowds with
signs and family come to the games and all those
sorts of things.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
Yeah, that was that was cool to see. I really
appreciated it and just see everyone welcomed me back was
a special feeling.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
What was that like once the team did know and
the beginning to obviously march towards the title that year
and you're involved everything like that. What was that season
like as a whole being in that camp.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
Yeah, once I let them know, it was it was
more of a weight off my shoulders, and you know,
everyone was so supportive, everyone back in me. And then
when I had to have surgery again and when I
was going through my recovery stage, they were there with
me in me in hospital and at home, always chicken
(16:04):
in on me. So yeah, they were a.
Speaker 4 (16:07):
Huge Who are some ye best mates on that team?
Speaker 3 (16:12):
Probably some that I went to school with, aj Harry
Flummer before he left, and even some of the guys
that I grew up playing league with, like Daniel Utla
and things like that. So far, so all those boys,
but I'd say like that whole team really yeah, and.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
What's been cool to be champions that year is a
long wait for Auckland as a whole and in the region,
but to lift the championship must have been pretty special.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
Yeah, one hundred even just to be a small part
of that journey towards the championship. It's been huge to
see what I did for not only the organization that
the city and the boys, the older boys that have
been there, I guess through those you know, those dark times,
to see them able to lift that trophy at the
(17:03):
end there. Yeah, as a special.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
Slight in twenty twenty four as well. Obviously come back
and you get so good for the Mouldy All Blacks
as well.
Speaker 3 (17:11):
How cool was that? Yeah, that's such a special team
to be a part of. It's probably one of the
one of my favorite, if not my favorite teams to
be a part of. Just the unity that that you
feel being amongst them and just being in the team
(17:31):
that you know that you'll share the same blood as
something special.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
Could you believe it that you know what had happened
over the last few months and then you're playing international
rugby with the Muldi or Blacks.
Speaker 3 (17:42):
Honestly, I wasn't expecting anything like that. I was just
happy to be back playing for the Blues. But to
have that in the year off was a huge honor
and yeah, so special.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
We often hear from the outside what it's like to
be in the Mouldial Blacks camp and you've give us
a good insight there. But obviously there's a lot of
customs and various things. But you say it seems like
everyon Forge is a really tight bond when they play
for the Muldi or Blacks.
Speaker 3 (18:07):
Yeah, one hundred percent, because I would say I wasn't
raised in a traditional house moldy household, so there was
always times where you almost felt like you didn't deserve
to be there. But in that environment, they make it
so well known that everyone depending on what level of
(18:27):
Maldi you speak or but how comfortable you are, it's
you know, it's inclusive, it's for everyone, and then that's
what makes it really enjoyable time. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (18:40):
Did was it special to I guess connect with that
part of yourself, you know, whether it be a hacker
or a whiter or visiting Mary maybe things that you
hadn't hadn't done for a while.
Speaker 3 (18:55):
Yeah, one hundred percent, just because I guess I wasn't
really raised that way and to be able to connect
back to a part of myself that you know, wasn't
I didn't really know much about it was it was
insightful and it made me want to, I guess explore
(19:16):
more about that side of myself, and you know, it
takes sort of There's a group of us at the Blues.
They were taking Mold lessons and just trying to small
things just I guess help us understand more about ourselves.
Speaker 2 (19:32):
So, yeah, and you played for the All Blacks fifteen
as well on a Was it Japan as well?
Speaker 3 (19:38):
I think, yeah, yeah, there's a two games against Japan.
There another a huge honor in Milestone for myself. Had
my family come over, my dad and then Break flew
over also, so having them their familiar faces in the
crowd definitely helped. And then ye're also being a part
(19:58):
of that team was unreal.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
Did you feel that maybe the All Blacks were in
touch and reach at that point you played for the
Maldi All Blacks, the All Blacks fifteen. Was that part
of your thinking at all?
Speaker 3 (20:09):
Or I wouldn't say it was at the forefront of
my mind, but I guess like every every kid or
every provisional athlete, that is where you're a spider b.
So it was in the back of my mind, But
it wasn't something that you know, I was relying on
or really just you know, hanging my hopes on. It was.
I always sort of it came, it came. If it didn't,
(20:30):
then I'll just keep working away.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
And then obviously playing again, and then you hear that
the cancer returns. How how long was that sort of
gap getting back out on the park and then hearing
that news again?
Speaker 3 (20:45):
Uh? How long was that gap?
Speaker 1 (20:51):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (20:51):
It was over a year? Sorry, yeah it was. It
was devastating to hear it was. It wasn't something I
was ready for just because I was back playing. I'm
not playing, sorry, I was back training amongst the team,
(21:13):
slowly sort of learning how to run again. I was
trying to do everything my power to get fit and
strong again. So I was definitely focused on getting back
to playing rugby again. And then it was just a
routine catch up and yeah, I was on told the
fortunate the news that it had come back. Not only
(21:35):
had it come back, but it was it was terminal
by then, so something I wasn't expecting because I had
just come from training and I had left all my
kit there, so I was expecting to go back to
finish off training. So yeah, definitely blindsided me.
Speaker 4 (21:50):
How do you begin to confront something like that like
you're a naturally positive, upbeat person, right, how do you
even begin to process that?
Speaker 3 (22:08):
I just remember him telling me that it had come back,
and then probably just almost daydreaming, like just talking to myself,
almost not believing the news. And then yeah, I guess
once I came back to my senses, there was you know,
(22:31):
a lot of tears and just letting all the emotions
out really, and then this time I ended up telling
my family straight away just to I guess, get that
stress off my test. And then yeah, just a lot
of tears with them also, So yeah, just a whole
(22:52):
lot of emotions and not knowing how to react really.
But it took me a few a few moments to
sort of gather myself, and then I guess, not sort
of planning what was next, but trying to figure out
what the next steps are towards whatever the next year
(23:12):
this part of the journey is.
Speaker 4 (23:14):
And in terms of what's next, obviously you and you
know expediate things and you get engaged and get married
and go on your honeymoon. How how special was that?
I think you guys went to fifteen countries and I
had a beautiful wedding and those things.
Speaker 3 (23:29):
Yeah, so we decided to do a massive trip over
to Europe for a few months there, so that was
that was definitely a highlight was the year. Got up
with mates over there, ate some good food, enjoyed ourselves
and then yeah, when we came back, we got married
(23:52):
down and pop Moore, which was real special, just a
small one, just our families and friends. And then we
came back to Okland had another and another I guess wedding,
but it was just more of a party of a
few of the boys because they could actually make that one.
So yeah, definitely on a real time for us. And
(24:13):
then post all of that good stuff, we oh sorry,
that's when I started the treatment for chemo. So you've
been doing a few cycles right now and I do
it once every two weeks on a Thursday, just down
the road not too far from here, and then you're
(24:36):
just currently having another cycle next week too, So what
does that look like?
Speaker 4 (24:45):
What's that experience like for people who don't know? Is
it pretty pretty texting? Can you still get out and
enjoy your life around it?
Speaker 3 (24:58):
Yeah, it's when I have When I have chemo, that
week is pretty much a ride off. Well, especially those
first couple of days afterwards it I was just yeah,
a bunch of recovery, just mainly sleeping really uh, and
then when I'm starting to feel right, I'll try to
(25:18):
get out, go for coffees and try to keep trying
to have like such a normal life.
Speaker 2 (25:26):
Yeah, how did you just go back to your winning?
How did you go about throwing a winning together so quickly?
Speaker 3 (25:31):
How did you how did you pull it all together? Well,
to be fair, I didn't really planning. Anytime I try
to help, it made it worse. It was you'd have
to ask your actually to help. Its about what about? Yeah? Yeah,
(26:02):
so we were traveling and then she was traveling and planning.
I was just enjoying myself. We had our close group
of mates back here. They were coordinating everything and checking
in off Brett and then so yeah, they were hugel.
Speaker 2 (26:19):
There's there's a real nice line in the story about
you're wedding on in the Woman's Day that you say
that this is not a sad story. How do you
get the mindset to make it a positive a positive story?
Speaker 3 (26:32):
This?
Speaker 2 (26:32):
You know, obviously getting married is great, but the whole
thing that comes with it.
Speaker 3 (26:36):
Yeah, I think actually Britt said that.
Speaker 2 (26:44):
It's such a lovely line regardless.
Speaker 3 (26:50):
Yeah, I guess I'm not too sure. It's just, yeah,
I think I've I've come to terms with things, and
I'm not someone that likes to waste energy on things
that I can't change. So I can't be stressing about
(27:10):
what has already happened, well, especially things that yeah, I
can't change. So I'd rather spend energy and time elsewhere
and looking on the positive things and looking forward to
building things while we can. So yeah, that's probably the biggest.
Speaker 4 (27:25):
Reason why, just with the European trip, lots of foreign countries,
travel can be a bit of a ride. Any any
memories that stand out, any any good stories Brett's laughing, baby, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (27:42):
Good stories. Probably. I definitely enjoyed my time over there.
Speaker 2 (27:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (27:55):
Yeah. The one time I try to plan an excursion,
it was a dog's leading in Norway and traumso because
obviously Britt was planning the wedding and the trip of
the same time. So I was like, you know, I'll
take this off your hands. I'll plan something. I'll sort
it out. So I had booked our dogs letting experience
(28:20):
that I thought was in the area we were staying.
Come to the morning of said dogs letting. Luckily, Britt
woke up early and she actually checked where the meeting
point was and it was actually two and a half
hours away from where we were st because I thought
(28:40):
I had read it was in Tromso, but I didn't
actually read where the pickup point was, and so she
woke me up in a panic and was like, you
realize this is not where we were staying. So she
was online trying to figure out how we could make
our way to this pick up point. We were downloading
apps trying to organize taxis, but I was just so expensive.
(29:05):
And luckily enough, the company we had booked replied to
Britain message on Facebook and they're like, you need to
catch this bus and get off of this stop and
someone will come pick you up. So yeah, So we
sprinted down to the bus terminal, hopped on and they
couldn't really speak English, so we're just pointing at this
(29:27):
word that we had wrote down the stop. They gave
us a thumbs up, like see yeah, and two hours
later they gave us a thumbs up again. It's like, yeah,
this is your start. So we jumped off, the bus
took off and we're just standing in the middle of
this icy snow road, no buildings anywhere, and I'm thinking
(29:47):
to myself, we've just hopped off in the middle of nowhere.
We've got no reception. It's about minus fourteen, and we're
just looking at each other like how are we going
to get home now? And then yeah, and then lucky enough,
someone did come and pick us up. This old dude,
this crazy like raccoon hat just stuck his head out.
(30:09):
Is are you the Kuies? Yeah, that's us. Yeah, he's
like offen, We're off.
Speaker 2 (30:16):
So what was the dogs living like after the ordeal?
Actually did enjoy it?
Speaker 3 (30:22):
Oh? Yeah, it was unreal. I don't think they expected
or they realized how big I was, because they only
gave us the sled of four dogs, and so when
we were trying to go up hills, I actually had
to jump off and push push up. These paid all
this money just as all work out two and a
(30:43):
half hours away.
Speaker 4 (30:44):
From where we're staying, and you probably wouldn't allowed to
plan anything for the rest of the trip.
Speaker 3 (30:49):
No, No, that was me done.
Speaker 2 (30:53):
It's part of all of us.
Speaker 3 (30:54):
Obviously.
Speaker 2 (30:54):
You you announced publicly on social media that that you've
got terminal cancer, and then we see the Blues get
them behind you shaving their heads, dying the head blonde.
How cool was that to see?
Speaker 3 (31:07):
Yeah, that was so unexpected. I was already going in
to watch a few trainings here and there when I could,
and then just going in that day to see or
they had died here, and then obviously some of the
boys shaving their heads too. I was definitely taken back
by it. I wasn't expecting anything like that, so yeah,
(31:27):
it was. It was very definitely moving.
Speaker 4 (31:32):
Who's got the best and worst haircuts?
Speaker 3 (31:36):
Oh? The best, I'd say probably Bears because he was
the only one that actually got it done properly. Yeah,
so he's as well as by father Vests. And then
the worst at the time was probably Bangers his aunt's Yeah,
Scallar blonde scalar. Yeah, that was definitely a sight.
Speaker 2 (32:00):
Still rocking it now because I saw Bidons at the
All Black s Airport yesterday, still still got the blond tints.
It must be cool just to see that, you know,
and they're on the All Black Sea and now and
still ripping it.
Speaker 3 (32:09):
Yeah. No, it's definitely cool just to see it on
the international stage, so it means a lot. So it's
been under.
Speaker 2 (32:14):
Here how important in this whole thing you're promoting sarcoma
awareness to be an ambassador to get the word out.
Speaker 3 (32:22):
It's huguely important. I thought it was a good idea
just to use my platform or whatever what kind of
platform that I do have, just spread awareness about such
a rare cancer that doesn't really have too much information
about it. So I thought it was important just, yeah,
(32:46):
bring people's attention towards something that is unfortunately starting to
be a lot more common. And there's been a lot
of people that have reached out with you know, different
stories with how it's helped them, and so yeah, that's
just really important for me just to I guess, help
(33:08):
those poll especially the older generation that probably aren't too
tech savvy and who can sort of voice their own
opinions or advocate for themselves. So yeah, that's probably the
main reason.
Speaker 4 (33:23):
Can you share with us any people that have you
reached out and that you've made a difference through this journey?
Speaker 3 (33:32):
Uh? Probably? I guess One person is his name is Tom.
We we catch up for coffees and we're meant to
catch up again, but he's been a bit under the
weather at the moment. He's someone that's I guess helped
me along my journey too. He's a very positive and
(33:55):
outgoing person. He still works being even though that he's
you know too male ill and has a a different
type of psychometal than me. But he's yeah, someone that
I guess we've helped each other in this journey. So
and there's another girl, Hailey, who's a bit like me
(34:20):
that's try to advocate and spread awareness for the foundation.
So probably those two.
Speaker 4 (34:27):
And you've had players across the sporting spectrum rugby league,
other sports as well do the this try screen celebrations
and whatnot. How how special is it to have that
impact and and for people to get on board.
Speaker 3 (34:45):
Yeah, it's been it's been amazing to see the amount
of support that has been generated just from that try
celebration and to see it on the weekends when when
on the international stage or for Super Rugby FBC and
the Woman's rugby as well, it's been unreal. I still
(35:08):
get messages from parents and seeing their kids do it
just at their local footy wherever they are, and it's
been special to see the I guess the movement that
it's sort of started, and yeah, what it is now?
Speaker 2 (35:23):
You touched on it for what does a week look
like for you at the moment you're still training in
the gym, I saw, I think on social media and
making sure you're keeping active as well.
Speaker 3 (35:33):
Yeah. I try to keep things as relatively normal as
I can when I can. So yeah, just I guess
trying to get back to the gym, not doing anything crazy.
It's just smare to get moving and no more dogs letting. Yeah,
(35:53):
just things just to keep me moving, keep my mind
like ticking over. Yeah, I got two dogs at home,
so when I can, I'll take them out for a
walk for a bit of fresh air and going out
to cafes, going to get coffees with some mates. And
I've been doing my own power reviews.
Speaker 4 (36:15):
Bakeries, intrigued, who's who's winning that race, what's the leading.
Speaker 3 (36:21):
The best one I had is probably one next to
sell in College Oliverus Bakery. They do a good beef
briskit and double cheese pie.
Speaker 4 (36:31):
Nice.
Speaker 3 (36:33):
But obviously did my research online and go to all
the popular ones to like Parrington's winning and pie.
Speaker 2 (36:40):
You I was gonna say traditional sort of steak and
cheese or steak or willing to branch out with what
kind of PI.
Speaker 3 (36:46):
Are you like I was gonna say, I'm actually a
bacon nig pie person. It's not many people like, so
I'll get one of those and then whatever the specialties
of the place that we're going to, oh a crack
(37:08):
at that too.
Speaker 2 (37:10):
Amongst all this, How important has been supporting it work,
like like your family, like your teammates in all of this.
Speaker 3 (37:17):
Yeah, it's been. It's been massive. I can't explain how
much of like having a good support system really does
help you. I don't need physically, but mentally you can
rely on someone just to get things off your chest
and just really keep you grounded. And I guess yeah,
(37:43):
having having your back really it's been so important.
Speaker 2 (37:46):
What's your message to que male or females you know
that perhaps you know have noticed something.
Speaker 3 (37:54):
Yeah, if there's anything like that looks unusual, lumps, bumps
anywhere on your body is definitely get it checked out,
your local doctor, GP, just anyone really that you think
they will have a bit more information about it. So
I encourage everyone to go get checked over and don't
(38:16):
leave it so late like my guy did.
Speaker 2 (38:17):
Unfortunately, Cam really appreciate you sharing your journey with us
has been lovely in the chat and wishing you all
the best thinking about Thank you very much for having
me appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (38:27):
Rugby Direct with Elliott Smith and Liam Navier, powered by
News Talks ed be here every All Blacks game live
and free on air and on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (38:37):
So grate forward to Cameron so far for his time
and if you are able. Psychomer Awareness Month continues through
until the end of July. We'd encourage you to dig
deep for any cause that relates and fundraisers for that
that has been Rugby Direct. We're back next week. We
have a South Africa tour squad for the All Blacks
to look forward to them. Thanks for your company and
(39:00):
thanks to Mark Kelly for producing. We'll see you next week.
Speaker 1 (39:03):
For more from News Talks ed b listen live on
air or online and keep out shows with you wherever
you go without podcasts on iHeartRadio
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