GROWING up playing football, 22-year-old Sean Ewart never thought he’d see the day where he would not be able to kick a footy.
His father, grandfather, brother and uncles all played the sport, and he had dedicated much of his time playing for Lake Boga.
In 2008, after playing a game, Sean some noticed red circles on his leg.
“I thought it was just bruising,” he said.
“They were red and sore. I knew they weren’t mosquito bites because they weren’t itchy.”
After a trip to the doctors to investigate what was going on with his leg, Sean received a devastating phone call later that afternoon.
“I had to go straight to Melbourne the next day and it was all then confirmed,” he said.
Sean was diagnosed with Leukaemia.
“It was really overwhelming, it just didn’t seem real,” he said.
He underwent six months of chemotherapy which saw him go into remission for five months. But then devastation struck him again when the cancer returned.
“I think I took [the news] well,” he said.
“But it was the memories of knowing that I have to go through what I have already been through that is the worst part.
“It really haunts you, I just don’t want it to come back.”
His family was by his side the whole time which he said he was really thankful for.
“They really helped me throughout my journey,” he said.
The relapse saw him undergo another six months of chemotherapy treatment and a bone-marrow transplant which saw him stay in hospital for 85 days.
His perseverance and positive attitude throughout the years has now seen Sean beat cancer — he has been in remission for five years.
With his passion for football, he was keen to get back on the field as soon as he could.
He has been working as a disability support worker for the past two years, and just two weeks ago he made a return on the field playing for Lake Boga.
“It felt really good,” he said.
“I had a bit of family watching me.”
Participating in some pre-season training, Sean said he also did a lot of training on his own to “get back into it”.
Unfortunately, he now suffers from arthritis, but has medication to help him deal with it.
“It really helps,” he said.
“Without it, I wouldn’t be able to play.”
His biggest advice is “simply live life to its fullest”.
