Lance Armstrong

Yuvraj Singh is not the only sportsman to have successfully battled cancer. There are others who have been equally brave and courageous. The following are some of the other sportsmen who have made a successful comeback from cancer:

AMERICAN FOOTBALL

Josh Bidwell: In 1999, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. After treatment he made a successful comeback .

BASEBALL

Jon Lester: An American professional player, he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a treatable cancer, in the middle of the season in 2006. In 2007, following a successful treatment, Lester was able to return to the game.

Mike Lowell: An American professional baseball player, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1999, causing him to miss nearly two months of the 1999 season while he underwent treatment. However, he later recovered and went on to play the sport as a professional.

CRICKET

Dave Callaghan: The former South African cricketer was diagnosed with cancer in September 1991. Just after recovering from testicular cancer, he made 169 off 143 balls and hit four sixes, while opening the batting. He also took his career-best figures of 3 for 32 and was the obvious choice for Man of the Match vs New Zealand in 1994 at Centurion. He now uses his celebrity status to promote cancer awareness.

CYCLING

Lance Armstrong: He was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1996. After going through chemotherapy, he recovered to win all his seven Tour de France titles from 1999-2005. The US Anti-Doping Agency later initiated legal proceedings over allegations of doping. Last month, Armstrong announced he won’t fight the charges, insisting he’s innocent.

FIGURE SKATING

Scott Hamilton: He is in the Hall of Fame, and one of the most iconic figure skaters in history. He is also a cancer survivor, and runs his own charity. He was diagnosed at the height of his career in 1997 with testicular cancer. After a 12-week treatment, he was back in action.

GOLF

Paul Azinger: In 1993, he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. His treatment included six months of chemotherapy and five weeks of radiation in California. He continued to be active in golf despite the physical handicap or serious illness.

ICE HOCKEY

John Cullen: A former Canadian professional ice hockey centre forward, he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 1997. He attempted a brief comeback in 1998 after an 18-month battle with the disease.

Mario Lemieux: A Canadian former professional player, he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 1993. He missed two months of play, but soon made a comeback.

Saku Koivu: The Finnish professional was diagnosed of cancer in 2001. But soon made a comeback by the end of the season.

SWIMMING

Eric Shanteau: He was diagnosed with testicular cancer, just before 2008 Beijing Olympics. He underwent treatment and was officially declared cancer free on September 15, 2008 and jumped straight back into the pool. He was a member of the 2012 United States Olympic team, and clinched the gold as part of 4x100-meter medley relay team in London.