WHEN Stawell man Adrian Davidson was battling to shake a bout of influenza three years ago, he had no idea what was about to confront him next.
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Within weeks of seeking medical attention for the influenza back in 2011, Adrian was starting a whole new fight - A fight for life.
Adrian visited his doctor in Stawell for some tests after the influenza kept clinging on.
"It was just so unusual for me to not be able to shake it. I thought I had better get some tests done," Adrian said.
He had blood tests and a chest x-ray and happily went back to work, believing he would eventually come good.
However, one afternoon when he was driving home from work and the telephone rang, his whole world was turned upside down. His doctor said he was waiting at his practice for Adrian to arrive and that he had some news about his tests.
"I thought it was strange that he wanted to see me right away, without even making an appointment," Adrian said.
With such urgency about the call from the doctor, the news could not be good and it wasn't. Adrian heard those dreaded words 'sorry, you have cancer'.
Adrian was diagnosed with stage four Hodgkins lymphoma cancer. At the age of 25 and soon after the birth of he and partner Chloe's second son Ryder, it was a big shock to the system.
Thankfully, the young family was given hope when Oncologist, Professor George Kannourakis, told Adrian that with the right treatment, he had an 85 per cent chance of beating the cancer.
"I had the chemotherapy for 12 months and then a month of radiation and everything was going great," Adrian said.
"I was having scans every two months and after everything was going well for about seven or eight months, a scan showed the cancer had come back.
"Before that scan, I just had one of those feelings that something wasn't quite right. Then my worst fears were realised."
The problem was, the cancer had returned in more places than before. It had previously been in one mass outside of the right lung, but this time, the scans showed the cancer had returned in two spots, one in front of the lung and one behind.
Adrian underwent more chemotherapy and spent eight weeks in the Royal Melbourne Hospital, where a stem cell transplant was performed.
"That was the most brutal thing I had ever been through," Adrian said.
"All the side effects, the way I felt with no energy and the constant sickness, it was horrendous."
Adrian was warned that the treatment would not only attack the cancer, but would most likely shut down his immune system as well. This meant any infection could prove potentially fatal.
"Of course two days into the treatment, I got an infection and was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit," he said.
"It took a good 12 months to fully recover from that and get my strength back. I couldn't even pick the kids up. I had dropped from 102 kilograms to 90 and had no strength at all."
The long road to recovery seemed worth it for Adrian and his family, as he quickly showed signs of being cancer free. By May this year, he was back at work and had been in remission for about 12 months. Everything was going great.
That was, until a regular two monthly scan revealed the cancer had returned for a third time.
"I couldn't describe what I was feeling when I was told the cancer had come back again," he said.
"The second time, things just didn't feel right. I knew something was up, but this time, I was feeling really good. I honestly thought I had beaten it.
"For it to come back and be told I would only have a 10 per cent chance of beating it this time around, I was really gutted. It's been a pretty rough time for everyone.
"I have just copped it on the chin though and said to Chloe, I've beaten it twice already, I will beat it again."
Professor Kannourakis made the decision to start Adrian on a new treatment that has only recently been approved following a series of trials. It has worked and Adrian remains positive that he will beat the cancer once and for all.
"The plan was that if this new chemotherapy didn't work, I would have to undergo another stem cell transplant," Adrian said.
"Gladly, the chemo has worked and I don't have to go down that path again. I've dropped to 78 kilograms now, so it has really knocked the socks off me, but I am having a break from the chemo at the moment.
"I'm resting up waiting for the next round of radiation to commence at Epworth Hospital in Melbourne.
"All I can do in the meantime is remain positive. My goal is to beat this for a third time and hopefully get some normality back into our lives. Staying positive is the main thing for me."
Staying positive has been made easy by all the support Adrian, Chloe and the boys have received, at times from complete strangers.
The family is grateful to the entire community for helping them through this journey.
"A lot of people out there have done some amazing things," Adrian said.
"There have been individuals, groups, business owners and of course our families, who have offered us so much support and good wishes throughout the ordeal. We didn't expect it and never asked for help, but people have willingly offered their support to us, for which we will be forever thankful."