Sam Newman fights prostate cancer
Sam Edmund
March 06, 2008
TV star and football great Sam Newman is facing the fight of his life after being diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Newman, 62, underwent four hours of surgery at the Epworth Hospital yesterday.
He now faces an anxious wait until the weekend before doctors can tell him if the cancer has spread.
Newman learned of his condition just three weeks ago, revealing it only to family and a few friends.
"There's nothing you can do about it," Newman said before undergoing the radical prostatectomy.
"We're going to ask probably the best man in the business to do something about it . . . we're just going to have to wait and see what he says."
Newman told Channel 9 he was facing his battle stoically.
"It does go through your mind - where is it all going to end? - and we don't want to make this too dramatic," he said.
Prostate cancer claims more than 2600 Australian men a year and afflicts men in the same numbers as breast cancer claims women.
Melbourne star Robbie Flower survived a battle with the cancer in 2001.
Footscray legend Ted Whitten died in 1995 at the age of 62 as a result of prostate cancer.
Leading urologist Dr Laurence Harewood was confident Newman could beat the cancer, with the star's fitness a key factor in his fight.
"Cancer is a scary word but at least we are in with a chance with Sam," he said.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23326570-661,00.html
