Footballer’s rare cancer tumour ‘size of a tennis ball’

Nathan Trueman was diagnosed with cancer aged 21 and said "it can happen to anyone"

A young footballer's cancer battle has inspired a town to raise more than £33,000 for cancer charities.

Nathan Trueman, 21, was diagnosed with a rare synovial sarcoma cancer in December 2020.

The first team captain of Portishead Town Football Club discovered a 10cm tumour - about the size of a tennis ball - under his right arm.

He is undergoing four rounds of chemotherapy and five weeks of radiotherapy ahead of an operation.

'Don't be afraid'

A recent MRI scan has revealed the tumour has stopped growing and he is due to have an operation in a few month's time.

Mr Trueman said: "I've always been healthy, played football since I was young and would go to the gym five times a week. It can happen to anyone.

"My message to anyone would be don't be afraid, call the doctor if there's something wrong, I've seen how weeks and months can make a difference and make cancer 100 times harder to treat.

"The doctors said the tumour was the size of a tennis ball, I can't wait for it to be removed so I can look forward to playing football again."

Nathan Trueman's initial fundraising target was £20,000

Mr Trueman's friends, family and teammates as well as businesses in Portishead in Somerset have been taking on a series of fundraising challenges hoping to raise £50,000 for the Teenage Cancer Trust and for Sarcoma UK.

'So proud'

Mr Trueman, who played with Bristol Rovers as a youth and for Forest Green Rovers under 18s, said: "It's amazing, it's so inspiring to realise how much support you have, I'm very grateful.

"Football has been a massive part of it as I have met so many people through playing."

One of his friends, Sophie Simmonds, has been organising the fundraising efforts and said: "From an impromptu Zoom meeting one evening in which we all decided we wanted to 'raise a bit of money', to smashing the original £20,000 target in just 48 hours to now being on our way to the revised £50,000, is just phenomenal.

"We are totally overwhelmed with everyone's generosity, it's a true testament to Nathan and how well loved and respected he is.

"At just 21 he's inspiring so many people and we are so proud of him."