Leukaemia survivor Chase Hoogsteden crowned Queensland tennis champion

Chase Hoogsteden was once too weak to walk after a shock leukaemia diagnosis. He’s now an under-10 tennis champion - and his comeback is as remarkable as it is inspiring.

Gold Coast tennis player and leukaemia survivor Chase Hoogsteden. Picture: Supplied

To any nine-year-old, being crowned Queensland’s under-10 singles and doubles tennis champion in the same week would be the greatest achievement of their young life.

Chase Hoogsteden isn’t that regular kid.

Before the Gold Coaster was conquering the state championships, Hoogsteden was conquering leukaemia.

Proud mum Tatum Hoogsteden said her family could never have imagined Chase competing again, let alone so soon after his battle against deadly blood cancer.

“For us to be where we are with him healthy and happy and thriving, and then for him to surprise us with this (tennis championship), we’re super proud of him and everything he’s achieved,” Tatum said.

“His work ethic, he’s brave and resilient. He just gets on with life and gets the job done so we’re super proud of him.”

It was five years ago that a routine trip to the doctor ended with a discovery no parent hopes to endure.

It was a bombshell the Saint Stephen’s College student and his parents never saw coming.

Gold Coast tennis player and leukaemia survivor Chase Hoogsteden with brother Hudson. Picture: Supplied

“The weekend before he was diagnosed he was playing in a tennis tournament at Beenleigh,” his mother said.

“We took photos of him. He was running around, doing so well. He didn’t look sick at all.

“It wasn’t until I took him the doctors when I thought he had an ear infection and a lump on his neck that the tests came back. It was a huge surprise when he was diagnosed.”

The 30-month battle to save Hoogsteden’s life took an ­extraordinary toll.

For the next year Hoogsteden was confined to bed, too ill to support his own weight.

“He lost so many things that he was no longer able to do,” Tatum said.

“He had to teach himself how to walk again. He got to the point that he started crawling, then he started walking and kept working on it. Now he wins cross-country competitions and tennis tournaments.

“We could never, ever imagine that he’d ever get back to any kind of sport, let alone ­winning state championships.”

Chase Hoogsteden didn’t look unwell and had been playing tennis the week before he was diagnosed. Picture: Supplied

Hoogsteden is back on his feet but the scars of his fight still linger.

Every 12 weeks he is back in hospital for further blood testing to see if the 10 per cent chance his leukaemia returns is realised.

Those tests will be part of his life for 10 years post-remission.

Chase Hoogsteden in hospital. Picture: Supplied

“It was devastating. There are times that you just don’t know if you can get through, as a parent,” Tatum said.

“It was a really traumatic time but looking back on it now, it’s always the parents and adults who have more trauma around it. The kids seem to bounce back up and be like, ‘oh, what? I had that?’.

“Chase never asked any questions. He knew what was needed, we never had to hold him down. You get so many injections that they had to put a port into his chest so he could get chemotherapy. He needed spinal taps to put chemo into his spine, sometimes once or twice a week at various stages.

“You just had to tell him what was happening and he’d go, OK, he’d given himself some time to sort it out in his head, then say ‘I’m ready, go.’”

That bravery throughout Hoogsteden’s leukaemia fight has translated into his tennis.

Chase Hoogsteden is now a tennis champion. Picture: Supplied

The nine-year-old plays without fear, charging around the court like he knows how precious every second spent with a racquet in his hand is.

His love for the sport was part of the fuel that powered his resilience through treatment.

“Even when Chase was in the hospital bed unable to walk we got video footage of him hitting tennis balls with his ­racquet,” Tatum said.

“He was trying to be physical whenever he could. He didn’t want to sit still.

“If he couldn’t walk, he’d crawl. And as soon as he was able to walk again we had him back in tennis lessons with our local coach who’s been through it all with us. Before we knew it he was backing ­winning competitions again.”

Hoogsteden won the Queensland final 6-3 6-0 against a player who had beaten him two weeks before.

“It was emotional and it was kind of like a release for him as well,” Tatum said.

“In 2022 the Make-A-Wish Foundation put together most special wish for him. They sent a limo out to get us and Ash Barty was waiting for us at the Queensland Tennis Centre.

“He got to have a match with her and it inspired him even more to do what he’s doing.

“Rafa Nadal is his idol and he wants to be just like him.

Chase Hoogsteden with Ash Barty. Picture: Supplied

Chase Hoogsteden with Rafael Nadal. Picture: Supplied

“He wants to travel the world with his brother Hudson, they want to do it together.

“He wants to win all the Grand Slams. I don’t know if he realises what a difficult path that is yet but at the moment he’s just enjoying it.

“We just want him having fun, and hopefully the dream pays off, but if it doesn’t we’re learning really good lessons along the way.

“We know how lucky he is. The other day he said to me, ‘Mum, how bad was it? Could I have died?’ and I didn’t know how to that. So I told him the truth and said yes, some children and adults do die from leukaemia.

“I think he subconsciously realises that he’s got to make the most of what he’s got now.”

Originally published as Leukaemia survivor Chase Hoogsteden crowned Queensland tennis champion