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Cancer gives me an out, says Eric Shanteau

Sean Ingle

Beijing: There must have been at least 150 microphones and recording devices being thrust and prodded into Eric Shanteau’s all-American features on Thursday afternoon — the questions were even more intrusive.

We wanted to know his fears and darkest thoughts, about CT scans and blood tests — basically whether he was taking one of the craziest gambles in Olympic history. For Shanteau has, against medical advice, decided to delay surgery on testicular cancer to compete for the United States in the 200m breaststroke in Beijing.

Shanteau discovered that he had a malignant tumour a week before the US Olympic trials, but showed remarkable resilience to qualify in second place ahead of the 2005 world champion Brendan Hansen.

‘Just me and the pool’

Doctors have told Shanteau that is cancer is treatable, and has not spread — but how many of us would take the risk for an Olympic gold?

“Obviously, what I show the public is my positive side. But this isn’t the flu, it’s cancer,” Shanteau told those hustling round him. “When I have downtime, days when there’s not much going on, it’s on my mind constantly. I can’t help that. That’s how it’s going to be. When I’m behind those blocks there’s nothing on my mind except racing. It’s just me and the pool.”

We asked all the obvious questions from journalism 101: the whats and whys and hows and whatnots. Each time Shanteau, a 24-year-old from Georgia with a gift for a distilling one-liner, responded with honesty and much insight.

“I wasn’t feeling ill but I discovered what I thought was a potential lump so I went to the family doctor. An initial scan showed nothing but the ultrasound did, so I was referred to a specialist...who dropped the bomb,” he explained.

“It’s one of those days that I’m never going to forget. My immediate reaction was to go numb. Then I got angry. I asked myself: why is this happening to me? Why now? To be honest with you, I wanted to reach over and knock the doctor out.”

An ‘educated decision’

Shanteau’s specialist advised him “to be aggressive” and have surgery immediately, but he also explained the various options open to the swimmer.

There was a chance to compete, so Shanteau took it.

“I made an educated decision that I could compete and have surgery afterwards,” he explained. “My family (his father was diagnosed with lung cancer last year) and girlfriend are 100 per cent behind my decision. They know I’m not being stupid. I had the last round of blood tests a week ago, but there’s nothing else scheduled until after the Olympics because I’ve reached the point of no return, in terms of competing.”

We pressed ever closer. Surely it is impossible to maintain focussed, we suggested. “Nah, it’s been pretty easy actually. A lot of the time you can put too much pressure on yourself but cancer gives me an out.”

And you don’t mind talking about the dreaded C word? “No, it helps me take ownership of it. Having cancer is nothing to be ashamed of. I can’t help that I was diagnosed with it. I then had a decision to make about competing, I made it.”

Shanteau hopes to realise his ambitions in the pool next week, pointing out that “Anyone who makes the US Olympic team has a great chance to make the podium.”

Success in Beijing would surely make him one of the most popular medallists of the Games. But he knows, perhaps more than most, that defeat wouldn’t be the end of the world either. — © Guardian Newspapers Limited, 2008

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