TikTok Australia’s head of global music partnerships shared shock cancer diagnosis

The social media giant’s head of global music partnership said he had just completed the Sydney Half Marathon when he realised something was wrong.

TikTok’s head of Global Music Partnerships has urged people to get regular health check ups and go to the doctors if they’re feeling sick, revealing his shock preliminary diagnosis of Stage 4 Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Govind Sandhu, 38, said despite living a healthy lifestyle, his body began deteriorating after completing the Sydney Half Marathon in May.

“The day after that I just went downhill (with a) swollen knee, although I thought that was because my knee was injured from a stack when I was in Hobart running some trails,” he said in an emotional Instagram video posted on Wednesday.

“(I had) really bad body aches and sweat, and everything that would make you think it was the flu, or Covid. And after a four week period I just deteriorated.”

TikTok's Global Music Partnerships Govind Sandhu revealed he had been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. Picture: Instagram

He said his body began deteriorating after he completed the Sydney half marathon.

Mr Sandhu said he then underwent several tests like blood tests ultrasounds, CT scans, PET scans, and tissue biopsies, doctors issued him with the terrifying health news.

The cancer refers to the abnormal growth of white blood cells, called lymphocytes, which can form growths in the body. An advanced stage four diagnosis means the cancer has spread outside the lymph nodes and to other areas of the body.

The social media executive will now undergo chemotherapy, and has already begun a course of steroids and antibiotics to target his recurring fever and sweating.

“It’s safe to say that I’m about to embark on the biggest challenge of my life,” he said.

“Of course I can’t believe, but at the same time, so many things are out of one’s control. I’ve had more time to process the why me (given) all the things that I do that would make me think that I would be in a category not susceptible to this.”

Mr Sandhu vowed to fight the cancer.

Mr Sandhu finished his video urging people to seek medical help if they were dealing with unexplained symptoms, adding that cancer “doesn’t discriminate”.

“Go get your check ups, go get your blood work done. If you’re feeling sick, don’t try to just fight it off,” he said.

An estimated 7397 people were diagnosed with lymphoma in 2022, which made up about 4.6 per cent of cancer diagnosis in 2022.

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma makes up approximately 90 per cent of lymphoma cases.

Originally published as TikTok Australia’s head of global music partnerships shared shock cancer diagnosis