London Irish player 'remaining positive' in wake of cancer diagnosis
Squad members and staff at London Irish are rallying behind first team player Darren Dawidiuk who is receiving treatment for testicular cancer.
Dawidiuk, 30, who joined Irish in the summer, was diagnosed with the disease following his side’s pre-season friendly against Ealing Trailfinders.
The Truro born hooker is currently undergoing chemotherapy following an operation to remove a tumour in his right testicle.
“All of the London Irish management team and the players have been extremely supportive,” said Dawidiuk.
“The messages of support that I’ve received after Nick broke the news to the lads have been overwhelming, and it’s helped me to remain positive as I continue my treatment.
“Director of rugby Nick Kennedy has been brilliant from the moment I was diagnosed, and I can’t wait to complete my treatment plan and get the green light to return to training.”
In between his chemotherapy sessions, Dawidiuk is immersing himself in the gym and following a vegan diet to fight the disease.
“When I was diagnosed I immediately made the conscious decision to change my diet to a vegan diet to give my immune system all the nutrients it needs to help reduce and fight against the cancer cells in my body,” said Dawidiuk.
“A lot of people’s bodies are in an acidic state, which is what cancer thrives on and if you can reverse it to an alkaline state then your body is able to fight against the cancer naturally.
“The doctors have already noticed the benefits of me being on a vegan diet and they are encouraging me to keep it up and continue with my training.
“By following this diet I feel much healthier and don’t feel as bloated, which is giving me the energy to train in the gym.”
While Dawidiuk is doing everything he can to get himself back to full fitness, the front row wants to build awareness of the disease which affects thousands of men every year.
London Irish take on Dawidiuk’s former club, Gloucester, in the Anglo-Welsh Cup at Kingsholm this Saturday with both clubs working together with Oddballs to raise awareness of testicular cancer to get men checking more regularly to be diagnosed sooner, which is the key to beating any cancer. Both teams will be warming up in Oddballs bobble hats and T-shirts with the message Dukey 2 on them.
London Irish will also be wearing the hats and T-shirts when they warm up ahead of their next home game on Sunday 19 November when Bath Rugby are the visitors to the Madejski Stadium.
The club will be making a donation of £4 per adult ticket and £2 per 65 and over ticket bought for the game from Tuesday 7 November onwards to the Movember Foundation which supports research into some of the biggest health issues faced by men including testicular cancer. To make a donation by buying tickets to the game, visit www.london-irish.com/tickets or call 0118 968 1016 (Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm and Saturday 9am to noon.)
The London Irish players will also be collecting for Movember at the Bath game and a £1 donation to the Movember Foundation will be made for every 2018 London Irish calendar sold. The calendars are available from www.londonirishshop.com or in the Madejski Stadium Megastore.
And everyone can join in supporting Darren by signing up to the London Irish Movember Team and being sponsored to grow a mo or take part in a challenge. James Marshall is our Mo Captain, and you can join the team by visiting moteam.co/London-irish.
Dawidiuk, who made 144 appearances for the Cherry and Whites, says this weekend’s match at Kingsholm will be an emotional occasion for him.
“Whenever something like this happens, the rugby community rallies around and offers immense support,” said Dawidiuk.
“I’m looking forward to the game and it will be good to see some old faces down at Kingsholm.”
London Irish director of rugby, Nick Kennedy said: “Everyone at London Irish is right behind Darren at this difficult time and his health and wellbeing is the number one priority.
“Darren and his family will receive our full love and support and we are with him shoulder to shoulder every step of the way towards a full recovery.
“We are speaking to Darren regularly and the London Irish medical team are assisting him throughout his treatment.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Ben Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
7 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
7 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt 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.
26 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 🤐
19 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….
26 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….
19 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!
7 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 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
14 Go to comments