Māori All Black and Auckland Blues loose forward Cameron Suafoa (Ngāpuhi, Samoa) has shared that his rare form of cancer has returned.
The 27-year-old was first diagnosed with sarcoma - a rare form of cancer affecting the connective tissue of his back - in November 2023.
“In March this year, I got the news nobody wants to hear, that my sarcoma is back,” Suafoa shared on social media on Saturday.
He has since had surgery and intends stepping back from rugby.
“This last week, I’ve undergone a massive surgery to resect another tumour and gained some metalware in the process.
“Rugby is once again on the back burner for me this year,” he wrote.
In April 2024, Suafoa and partner Britt Hastings-Kutty, who first met as 17-year-olds, shared their journey since receiving the original diagnosis.
“I can’t really change the fact that I’ve been going through this or that it’s happened to me,” Suafoa said.
“Hopefully, I can bring something positive out of this and come back fitter and stronger and aim to pick up where I left off.”
Hastings-Kutty added, “We have made it through but it has been hard.
“Cam is incredibly humble and makes this look easy. He shows up to trainings each day and says he’s fine and no one would know any different,” she said.
“Time and time again, he’s shown that if anyone can do it, he can do it.”
