EFL: Montrose recruit Sam Gibson makes inspiring return to football after shock leukaemia diagnosis

MONTROSE recruit Sam Gibson has made an inspiring return to football, just two months after being diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia.

Sam Gibson (centre) belts out the song after Montrose’s win over East Ringwood. Picture: Chris Eastman/AAP

IT was the emotional news Sam Gibson didn’t think he would hear.

After a whirlwind couple of months following a shock leukaemia diagnosis, the Montrose recruit made a heartwarming comeback to football on Saturday.

The 23-year-old was given the all-clear by his doctors Friday week ago that he would be able to return to football, running out alongside his new teammates for the first time against East Ringwood.

Gibson was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML), a rare form of blood and bone marrow cancer, in February after collapsing at training.

Sam Gibson competes for the ball while playing for Box Hill last year. Picture: Mark Dadswell

But his successful treatment has allowed him to return to the field some two months after his diagnosis. Fitness and youth have been on his side.

“I guess I wasn’t really showing many symptoms of it, basically the only thing that was happening was when I was training I was vomiting,” Gibson said.

“I thought I’d just blown out over Christmas, I was so unfit, too much Christmas pudding or something.

“One day I decided enough was enough, I collapsed at footy just in pain through my chest, went to the doctors, (they) touched my spleen and he said it’s about to rupture.

“The next day I got a phone call saying, ‘you better rush straight to hospital, you’ve got leukaemia’.”

The Ferntree Gully resident thought he would be “zero chance” of playing football this year, but it only took until Round 3 for him to pull on the boots again.

The former Box Hill Hawk spent three nights in hospital following his diagnosis and has also recently returned to work as a plumber.

Sam Gibson celebrates a goal in the last quarter with Jordan Bastinac. Picture: Chris Eastman/AAP

He takes oral medication twice daily as part of his treatment and visits hospital weekly with his grandmother, who also has leukaemia.

“My grandma is going through it as well and it is pretty funny but every Friday, it’s like our little day trip, we go to the same hospital and see the same specialist,” he said.

Montrose coach Peter Bastinac said Gibson’s recovery had been uplifting for the Demons.

“It’s inspirational, the boys have been right behind him the whole way,” Bastinac said.

“I didn’t think we’d see him (playing) again this year, I just thought when you hear the word ‘leukaemia’ associated with anyone, you know that it’s serious.

“My initial thought was I just wanted the kid to be healthy and to get through this.

“Footy came second in my thoughts, I just really felt for the kid, the illness and what it means but for Sam to be in a position to play, it’s just unbelievable.”

Gibson credited a positive mindset for his return to some normality.

Sam Gibson dishes off a handball in his comeback game. Picture: Chris Eastman/AAP

“First night (in hospital) I was a mess, brain was shot, mind was shot, couldn’t believe that it was happening to me I guess,” he said.

“Next morning I woke up and thought, ‘bit too much crying in this life’ ... from there, along with my family, I’ve taken a positive approach to it.

“I suppose my mindset was that I’m the lucky one, I was out of hospital in three days and day trips from then on, I’ve been strong enough to come back to work and now to play football.

“I’m one of the blessed ones. There’s plenty of people out there with leukaemia that can’t even get out of bed so I’m just going to take the opportunity and run with it.”