The true extent of John Hartson’s battle with cancer- and the aftermath- are brought to life in an emotional video clip about the former striker.
In the summer of 2009 the Welshman was described as critical by surgeons at his local hospital in Swansea as he underwent emergency surgery on a brain tumour.
The scars of that operation are obvious to this day with Hartson literally reborn as he throws his weight behind a number of charity initiatives that brings hopes and funding for others battling with cancer.
During the video Hartson is close to tears as he recalls asking his brother James to look after his four kids as he feared the worst lying in hospital.
As he battled back to health he set himself various goals with an annual hike up Ben Nevis raising funds for cancer charities and providing a goal for others to fight back against the illness.
Hartson gets emotional as he tells how various people have contacted him to tell how they visited their doctor after reading the book of his cancer story and the pleasure he gets from visiting hospitals and presenting cheques to cancer charities.
The clip features interviews with Alan Shearer and Neil Ruddock describing their admiration for the former Celtic striker at a golf day that attracted footballers from across the UK.
On his website Grab Life by the Balls he explains: “As a professional footballer, I had it all: the fame that earning 51 caps for Wales brought me and the enviable lifestyle that scoring over 100 goals in the green and white of Celtic afforded me. I also had the warning signs of testicular cancer – and I ignored them.
“I want people to know that everything I went through, everything I put my loved ones through, could have been avoided had I known more about the disease. Particularly, the importance of catching it early.
“It’s why I set up the John Hartson Foundation, why I’ve given talks on the subject, why I’ve shared my experience on radio and TV, released a DVD, even written a book ‘Please don’t go’. I’m trying to do everything I possibly can to raise awareness of testicular cancer.”
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