'I ticked off quite a few major life tragedies'
Andrew Fenby became the latest recipient of the RPA Blyth Spirit Award on Wednesday evening after recovering from testicular cancer. The award is handed out to those who show courage in the face of adversity and the former Scarlets and London Irish man fits that mould, having approached his diagnosis of stage two testicular cancer in October 2020 – aged 35 at the time – with resounding positivity.
He shared the accolade with Leeds Rhinos legend Kevin Sinfield, who completed a 101-mile charity challenge to raise money for those affected by motor neurone disease. Much like his compatriot, Fenby completed the London Landmark half-marathon in early April, raising over £10,000 for Orchid Cancer to help support those with penile, prostate and testicular cancer. Former England international Alex Corbisiero won the award the year before after he too was diagnosed with testicular cancer.
“It’s quite incredible to see the people who have won it before me and what they went through,” Fenby said to RugbyPass. “It’s very humbling and amazing to reflect on what I have been through in the last twelve months. This is as much an award for my family and my wife as it is for me. It’s dawning on me now how bad last year was. I was trying to stay positive but now I’m out of it and reflecting on it, oh my god that was bad.”
The warning signs came when Fenby and his family relocated to North Wales in the wake of the first coronavirus lockdown. “In August I was putting my eldest Freddie into the car. He had a tantrum and got me flush in the right testicle. I had a strange sensation and went to get checked by my GP who said I was okay. I then went private to get a scan and while I was getting checked there was an instant gulp from the radiologist.”
That reaction was vindicated when the results came through – it was not good news. But to give Fenby the best chance of a swift recovery, the surgeon scheduled two months of chemotherapy. To make matters worse, this came at a time when Fenby’s professional life was also in turmoil. After retiring from rugby in 2016 having started at Newcastle and finished at Saracens with lengthy stints at Scarlets and London Irish in between, he had set up a sports management agency but was forced to close that practice after the pandemic crippled revenue.
Very proud to have sponsored such an amazing award. With 2 very worthy winners! https://t.co/ozldDECaAP
— hastaWorld (@hastaWorld) May 26, 2022
In spite of that, Fenby remained resolute and decided to make use of his newfound free time by completing an online mini-degree in computer science. “It was a really tough year. At the time I had a sportsman mentality. I thought: ‘I’m just going to solve this and crush it’. I had my blinkers on. I’m a positive person so I didn’t wallow in bed and feel sorry for myself.
“I had to keep myself busy. Each chemo cycle had a three-day stint in the hospital. I would walk around the ward and see middle-aged people looking unhealthy and didn’t want to be like that. That’s why I never watched TV and kept going on 5km runs every week while I was getting treatment. I play a lot of professional squash now as well. I want to be club champion so that was my drive to stay fit.”
After successfully completing chemotherapy, Fenby was called in for a CT scan. Unfortunately, the blood markers he got back brought more bad news. Three lymph nodes were still causing issues and so in June 2021 he underwent a major operation, called a retroperitoneal lymph node dissection, to have them removed. Thankfully it was successful and three months later he was back playing squash.
“My son calls the scar I got from it the ‘crocodile bite’. I have had a few operations during my career but they kept repeating that this was a big one with a serious risk. I was under for seven hours.”
Since recovering, Fenby has had time to reflect on the past year. He is in awe of how quickly the human body can recover but what impresses him even more is the resolve and unwavering support he received from his family throughout.
“It was the hardest for my wife who had to keep everything together. I wasn’t earning, so she was financially supporting the family with a newborn in the house as well. I can laugh at it now. Homeless, unemployed with cancer and a young family. I ticked off quite a few major life tragedies.”
There was no moment when Fenby felt he was going through things alone. In fact, he made a point of speaking to the surprisingly high number of friends he met playing rugby who also had testicular cancer.
This included Ben Pollard and Andre Quinn. Both are strength and conditioning coaches who spent time working with Saracens and London Irish respectively.
Fenby adds that in one season when playing for the Scarlets, three of that 44-man squad have since been diagnosed with the same form of cancer. Talking through things with people who have experienced the same helped Fenby assume a much more positive mindset when he began chemotherapy.
“I’m very open and would talk to anyone about what I was going through. I found it therapeutic. I didn’t know much about testicular cancer at all when I first got diagnosed. I had no idea about how it travels throughout your body. And there are loads of different types you can have. That is why I decided to do the half-marathon for Orchid Cancer. It was as much about spreading awareness.”
Fenby admits he is much better placed now to help those forced to go through what he did. He still calls friends about it and extends a helping hand to anyone needing advice on dealing with the disease. And he has one important line for anyone he calls: “One bit of advice I give to all my friends is to check your nuts.”
- Andrew Fenby was speaking following his RPA Blyth Spirit Award in association with hasta win at the Eterlast RPA Awards 2022
Comments on RugbyPass
It couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
25 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
25 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
44 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to comments