By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Takeaways for Achille Polonara from dealing with testicular cancer focus on launching a second career.
Polonara, 32, sat down with La Giornata Tipo to discuss his journey back to basketball and Virtus Segafredo Bologna.
Team doctor Diego Rizzo with his experience perspective also talked about the health status of the Italian power forward.
“After this experience, you appreciate everything much more. From the most trivial things up to a simple, I don’t know, wake up in the morning, have breakfast and say, ‘Well, I am going to practice, I am lucky,’, explained Polonara.
“Already back in the team and bringing my contribution, that is definitely what I wanted more than anything,” he added.
“There is something in my body”
Rewinding to learning about the cancer, he was at home taking his daughter to bed.
“The e-mail arrived from the Federal Doping Prosecutor’s Office. At that moment I had a stroke because I did a lot of doping checks since I have been playing basketball. And I had never received an e-mail. It just comes to you, if they see a wrong value,” he said.
“As soon as I read this HCG value, I went to the internet to read up, to see, to snoop around,” he recalled, “At that moment I was quiet on one side. I did not take anything, no products. Therefore I cannot be positive for doping. So no worries about that aspect but I was worried about the other one. Because if I did not take anything and I am sure about that, it means that maybe in my body there is something.”
“Don’t worry, you can go back to play basketball. Your life is not in danger,” Polonara remembered the reaction of the team doctor upon confirming testicular cancer.
“Nobody knew on the team”
The Ancona native went on to play against Openjobmetis Varese, two days after being diagnosed with cancer.
“I did not say anything to anyone. Nobody knew on the team,” he mentioned about keeping his teammates in the dark, in contrast to head coach Luca Banchi.
Fellow players were informed during the postgame press conference and Banchi publicly updated his health status. “They were stunned,” he said.
Constantly supported by his family, Polonara had surgery in October and went through chemotherapy until November 20. Tough moments at home included his younger daughter begging him to not go to the hospital, he admitted.
“Hair all over the table”
Eventually forced to shave off hair confirmed one of his main fears from chemotherapy.
“After a practice, after the shower, I am going to dry my hair and suddenly I see all the hair fall all over the table,” shared Polonara, “Right now, I do not really care. The important thing is that I feel good.”
He returned to action on December 3 but struggled to keep up with the rest of the players from a physical standpoint. “It was like starting a second career,” he described being welcomed back on the court.
Photo Credit: EuroleagueBasketball.net