‘Very strange’: Jason Akermanis suspicion about wife’s cancer and Covid jab

One of the AFL’s most colourful figures has opened up about his wife’s shock cancer battle, revealing his suspicion around the timing of her diagnosis.

Megan Akermanis, wife of three-time Brisbane Lions AFL flag-winner Jason Akermanis, was “perfectly healthy” before she found a lump a month ago.

Two weeks later she had a double mastectomy after the shock breast cancer diagnosis.

With Megan now in recovery, Akermanis said his wife was “recovering well” but potentially needed further radiation therapy.

“It was really quick but could have been worse,” he said.

Akermanis told the Herald Sunhe was blown away by the courage of his wife who spent her 43rd birthday in hospital.

Noting that the diagnosis came as a shock to the otherwise healthy and active mother of three, Akermanis mentioned his suspicion about the timing of Megan’s discovery, wondering if the appearance of the lump could be related to her Covid vaccine.

There is no evidence to suggest vaccinated individuals are more susceptible to developing cancer.

Jason Akermanis, wife Megan and their children Charlotte, Sienna and Zoe.

“It happened straight after she had the Covid jab, and she felt a lump,” he said.

“It’s very strange. She’s one of the lowest-risk people on the planet, doesn’t drink much and is pretty active.

“It’s not spreading and it’s self-contained so she felt the safest option is a double mastectomy and she’ll undergo rebuilding in two to three months.”

Megan Akermanis had a double mastectomy after the shock breast cancer diagnosis just a month ago.

Now a real estate agent in Brisbane, Akermanis won a Brownlow Medal and three premierships with the Brisbane Lions before capping off his 325-game career at the Western Bulldogs.

Not one to bite his tongue, he has been a colourful character in the AFL, both on the field with his trademark celebratory handstands and off the field with his exploits in golf and opinion columns.

Jason Akermanis has had a colourful career on and of the field.

His writing on homosexuality in sport in 2010 saw him suspended from play by the Western Bulldogs for two matches amid public uproar.

Another column he penned in 2007 on performance-enhancing drugs saw publishers from Seven and Fairfax dish out defamation damages to West Coast Eagles player Michael Braun in 2007.

In 2019, Akermanis was reportedly banned from three Australian golf clubs for alleged cheating and run-ins with other players. He denied the clubs’ claims.

Originally published as ‘Very strange’: Jason Akermanis suspicion about wife’s cancer and Covid jab