Journalist and podcaster Sam Ikin fighting rare and aggressive cancer and costly treatment

A cancer diagnosis has rocked a Hobart journalist and podcaster. Here’s why Sam Ikin is fighting for his family.

Sam with sons Bobby 14, Roy 3 and Teddy 11. Award winning journalist, podcaster and father of three Sam Ikin confronts a rare and aggressive thyroid cancer and is hoping to access expensive treatment to treat it overseas. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Award-winning journalist and podcaster Sam Ikin, who has a rare and aggressive cancer, is fighting to prolong his life for his partner and three young sons.

Mr Ikin, 47, was diagnosed with poorly differentiated thyroid cancer (PDTC) last September which has spread to his lungs and hip.

While he’s had some radiation on his hip, chemotherapy, radiation and surgery are not options for the tumours in his lungs.

Sam with sons Bobby 14, Roy 3 and Teddy 11. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“That leaves me with the alternative treatments which seem to make some people really angry,” Mr Ikin said.

“I’m not doing this to win friends.

“I just want to get better and I’m going to throw the kitchen sink at this thing, even if it has to involve costly overseas treatment.”

A clinical trial in Europe has used a combination of drugs on PDTC with encouraging results – but the second of two drugs used in the trial is not on the PBS for his cancer which means he will have to pay the full retail price of about $60,000.

Mr Ikin has sons Bobby, 14 and Teddy, 11 from a previous marriage and Roy, 3, with his fiancee Angela Warren.

“The older two are well aware of what’s happening and, while they are putting on brave faces, are terrified of losing their dad.

“I know how they feel.

“I lost my dad to suicide when I was 16 and I swore at that point that I would never put my kids through an experience like that.

“I’ve worked hard to make sure suicidality was not something that would affect me.

“That’s part of the reason why I’m so determined to beat this disease.

“Roy has no idea this is going on but he loves having me home to play with more often. That’s definitely a silver lining.”

Sam with partner Angela and sons Teddy 11, Roy 3 and Bobby 14. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Mr Ikin says the biggest toll is on Angela, currently the breadwinner.

“I wish I could lift the weight from her shoulders and give her some time to relax and deal with her own inner turmoil.

“She is such an amazing, strong and ridiculously clever woman. I’m grateful for her love every single day.”

Mr Ikin, who has an eating disorder, is struggling emotionally but keeping fit and determined to get his black belt in kung fu as part of his recovery plan.

Award winning journalist, podcaster and father of three Sam Ikin confronts a rare and aggressive thyroid cancer. Picture: supplied

“Mentally I’m emotionally unstable. I cry a lot, seemingly for no reason, but I also have some amazing friends who I can turn to who don’t care if I blubber all over the place.”

He is delighted that a fundraiser to help pay for the drug has hit the half-way mark.

“I’m so grateful that so many people who I haven’t met before or friends I’ve fallen out of touch with have been seeking it out and making very generous donations.

“Since I’ve been using my investigative journalism skills to find out everything there is to know about cancer I’ve discovered a lot of contradictions.

“What works like magic for one person may not work at all for another.”

Mr Ikin worked at 2GB and SBS in Sydney before moving to Tasmania to the ABC and Tasmanian Broadcasters before starting his podcasting business including one about eating disorders for the Butterfly Foundation which won a national media award.

Font PR managing director Becher Townshend said Mr Ikin was an important part of his company’s podcast, Fontcast, since it started as both producer and “at times irreverent interjector”.

“When the news came that Sam was facing the fight of his life it came as a shock to us all.

“The thing we all love about Sam is he is a fighter and his spirit has not waned during this period.

“We can all draw from Sam’s spirit.”

To donate go to: https://www.givesendgo.com/sam-ikin

Originally published as Journalist and podcaster Sam Ikin fighting rare and aggressive cancer and costly treatment