Football referee Kevin Quinn’s devastating cancer battle

A healthy father-of-three and referee who usually runs 150km a week is fighting to keep his leg after what was believed to be a “harmless” cyst turned cancerous.

A football referee‘s life took a tragic turn as his ‘harmless’ 35-year-old cyst turned cancerous, jeopardising his leg.

A popular referee and active father may lose his leg after a 35-year-old cyst doctors assured him wasn’t dangerous turned cancerous earlier this year.

Father-of-three Kevin Quinn is trying to stay positive after enduring three painful operations since his Basal cell carcinoma diagnosis in January 2023.

During his refereeing career Mr Quinn has travelled across the South Burnett, Sunshine Coast and the greater Brisbane area for rugby league matches.

The 51-year-old developed a lump on his leg when he was 16-years-old and regularly visited doctors as it grew larger.

Mr Quinn’s partner Amanda Blower said several doctors had told him the lump was a blood clot and recently had turned into a cyst.

Kevin Quinn with his children Elisabeth, George and Ellen.

“In January he had the sebaceous cyst removed which we were told was harmless and a few days later we were called back to receive some shocking news,” Ms Blower said.

“It took several days of pathology tests which revealed the cancer had been eating away at his tendons, muscles and arteries.

“He went from refereeing up to 17 games per week and running about 150km per week to becoming bound to a chair.”

Mr Quinn, who now lives in Caboolture, underwent his third operation at the Royal Brisbane Women’s Hospital on Friday, June 30.

A large part of his left calf was removed and surgeons grafted skin, muscles and arteries from his right thigh to replace it.

Ms Blower said Mr Quinn will see a specialist on Monday to determine if the graft has worked or if his leg will have to be amputated.

Mr Quinn said through exercises he is trying to regain feeling in his leg but specialists cannot guarantee that this will work.

Mr Quinn is waiting to find out if the skin graft has worked or if his leg will have to be amputated.

“We’re trying to stay positive, I can’t imagine not being able to run again,” Mr Quinn said.

“I have been involved in refereeing since 1999 when I was hollering at the side lines and I’ve loved it ever since.

“In 2005 I refereed the Women’s State of Origin.”

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Mr Quinn’s daughter Elisabeth and Ms Blower have started a GoFundMe page to help with the excessive costs of surgeries and the family’s time off work.

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Miss Quinn said she remembers her dad never turning down a game and not wanting anyone to miss out.

“He continually put his hand up, never saying no, always putting his community before himself,” Miss Quinn said.

“I am in hope that the gesture can be returned and we can find some help for my dad in his time of need,” she said.

Originally published as Football referee Kevin Quinn’s devastating cancer battle