Olympic Swimmer Just Diagnosed With Cancer - Determined To Go On!
Filed under: Zportz
Talk about determination.
Swimmer Eric Shanteau is heading to Beijing to complete in the Olympics. But, what makes his story different is that he'll be competing while battling with cancer.
Turns out the 24 year-old first learned about his illness just a week before the Olympic trials in Omaha, Nebraska. That's when he was diagnosed with testicular cancer.
But, after getting clearance from his doctors, he was allowed to compete in the meet which - thanks to his win - allowed him to make the team.
His doctors have advised him to have surgery now, though, but the determined athlete is intent on getting operated after his return from Beijing.
Shanteau says, "If I didn't make the team, the decision would have been easy: Go home and have the surgery. I made the team, so I had a hard decision. But, by no means am I being stupid about this."
Eric has promised to drop out of the Olympics if there's any sign that the cancer is starting to spread.
As for the day he received his diagnosis, Shanteau says, "It almost numbed me. I'll remember that day for the rest of my life. Talk about a life-changing experience. That's as big a one as you can have, I think. You're changed for the rest of your life. The few people I've talked to who've gone through this, and they're all much, much older than I am, say I'll know that even more in 10 years."
Eric has now decided to go public in the hopes that his story will inspire others.
He's even received word from Lance Armstrong, who - as you recall - overcame cancer himself.
Shanteau says, "Lance's agent told my coaches that I'm the closest thing to Lance Armstrong that there is on the planet right now. If I can have a fraction of the impact that he's had, just a tiny little bit, then I think what I'm going through will be good."
Let's hope his cancer doesn't spread and he makes it through surgery just fine.
And if he happens to win a gold medal, even better.
Live strong!
[Photo via Getty Images.]
OMG so sad i loved him!!
That's determination!
Go for the gold!
That's shame! From the looks of the pic, he's got some wonderful testes!!
I hope postponing surgery doesn't harm his chances of recovery.
best of luck*
NICE BULGE!
:0 how sad!
Anyone going through a situation similar to this can always call the American Cancer Society 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for help, support, and a connection to services they need to get through treatment. 1-800-ACS-2345 or cancer.org.
What an inspiration. So determened! I hope him the best at the Olympics..
He is wearing the University of Texas swim cap. I guess he is from Tex?
idiot. a lot of good being in the olympic games will do him when he's dying of cancer afterwards because he wasn't operated in time.
cancer where, specifically?
Why does the testie cancer always have to happen to the athletic fit people, why can't the fat Hawg Jowled homos get it once and awhile ….. Life is so unfair
he has balls. hopefully he still will after the olympics.
my bf is 27 and has been going through this same thing for the past 3 mos…so sad, it can happen to anyone. I hope it doesn't spread, i just know that my bfs docs operated on him asap and they still found some in his lymph nodes…. hope that this guy is doing the right thing for himself.
Re: casht – thought the same
Where's the celebrity gossip? I read about this guy hours ago on multiple other sites.
It's sad when people with hot bodies get sick. Fatties not so much. They could peel off a few pounds with some cancer.
Perez,
You should only use a "z" in place of an "s" if the "s" makes the "z" sound. Thus "zportz" should be "sportz". Otherwise, it's fairly unreadable and pretty "ztupid".
School Marm
Sports are littered with steriods,young healthy men getting ball cancer,Lance Armstrong is the biggest cheater on the planet,Scott Hamilton fiquire skater,ball cancer.Don,t mess with mother nature boys,because shes going mess up with your package
damn, that's a really nice bulge. MMMMMM…..
he finished 2nd at trials in the 200breast, beating out the heavy favorite and previous world record holder Brendan Hansen. such a shame though….swimming does amazing things to the male body. unfortunately it does those same things to the female body, and they all ending up looking like Chyna Doll!
i think he's doing the right thing by going to the olympics. it's a once in a lifetime opportunity, and although i'm pretty sure he won't get the gold, there's a possibility for a bronze in there if he has an amazing race. all the best to him
Look at the package on that dude dayummm…..
It's a shame he thinks he is invincible to a incurable disease that kills so many people each year. I don't condemn what he's doing at all. I think it's wrong that he's trying to be a role model for fighting cancer when he's in denial about his situation: "by no means am I being stupid about this". Um, yes you are. F*ck the Olympics. Do you want to live or not? Have the f*cking surgery before it's too late. If it spreads to his lymph nodes, which it probably will since he is waiting an entire 2 months, his chances of survival go way down as it is more likely to develop into a metastatic disease. And, with cancer, there is no middle ground. If there are signs that the cancer starts to spread, then it already has. If we had the medical technology to catch actual cancer cells as they were developing, then there would be a lot more people still alive right now. Don't f*ck around with your health!
how did i know it was testicular cancer…..look at that package. no one has balls taht big unless there is something else there….sad.
all together now!
Aaaaaaw, NUTS!
Thats sad, and his stroy is an inspiration. Good luck to him. Hope he stays well.
So now he's some kind of hero? Boo fucking hoo.
Re: lupel –
No one cares about your friend. Are they famous? Then shut up!
I guess if he's gonna croak anyways he may as well go out with a medal.
So he'll lose a nut like Lance Armstrong. And maybe some chemo later.
I'll tea-bag that cancer away!
Oh and Lance Armstrong who also had testicular cancer was a steroid user . Steroids are bad.
please do not disrespect hard working athletes with comments such as this. you have no idea who eric is or anything about how he lives his life. just because he's a talented athlete and he's gotten cancer does NOT mean he did anything to bring it on (i.e. by doing steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs). way to jump to the worst conclusion buddy. ever consider that bad things like cancer can happen to the best of people? not just those out of the limelight? at least eric has the character and determination to continue going for his dreams despite a horrible life-changing event such as this occurring right before the biggest meet of his life. he is an example to all of us out there aspiring for our dreams, to realize that when life deals you a bad hand, make the best of it, keep living your life the way you dreamed of it and do what you can to send a positive message out to those dealing with the same hardships.
Fool. It is no choice; Olympics vs. life. Cancer does not wait for no gold medal. Would Eric think any differently if the cancer was in his brain, pancrea, or bones?
Fool. Simple fool.
lance armstrong…that ice skating guy…this fellow…what is it about these athletes that lead to this particular cancer? something in the "supplements they're given? exercise should be a strong cancer suppressor, don't you think?
Get better soon, Eric!
So sad to hear. Unfortunately, it's probably somehow linked to all the chlorine and chemicals in the pools he has been swimming in most of his life.
Wrong pic? Shanteau's an Auburn Tiger, although Lance is a Texas Longhorn.
What scale is it on? That's the important part…
Such a shame! He's obviously well-hung. I hope the disease doesn't ruin it.
Eric my best wishes to go. Please seek the necessary care/treatments required ASAP, before it spreads elsewhere. Health comes first before anything else.
nice package!
Re: dee – Tight pants. That's the theory. Testicular cancer is rampant with cyclists. And don't forget breast cancer with the women's gold circuit. Some say it's all the chemicals that go into the golf courses to make them so green! Stay as close to natural as you can!
He'll swim faster when one of those nuts is removed! That extra ball causes friction and without it he should be faster! God never closes a door without opening a window!
Re: ade – well said
He has nice balls. I'd chew on it.
R-
Man he looks like he has a sweet piece of meat! I'd love to nurse it back to health with my mouth!
Re: shonu – No, it's Eric. He attended Auburn, but since graduation he's been training with a large group of swimmers down at UT. Scott Spann (1st at Trials) and Brendon Hansen (4th at Trials) are a part of that group as well.
I'd tap that. Pre-op and post-op.
(They make really good prosthetics out there that really balance a package out…if you know what I mean.)
Re: momfo – : Totally, i live east of cleveland ohio and we get nice weather 5 months in a year. I am athlete in wrestling and i wanted to swim to stay active and cool down in the evening. I stopped going, I felt so sluggish and a lack of wind. you could taste the vapors of the top of the water and the shit penetrates the skin. what can eat and where can we go. cutting/grinding metal, burning fuels or mixing oil byproducts, we face a lot. Now the newer grocery stores do dry cleaning, the di-chloro-ethanol is what's in lasers, it's bad shit. another great one is cutting keys in stores with no enclosures, wtf.
you're a fag, the only reason you put this is up is because the dude's a swimmer and just another excuse for you to post a pic of a half naked man
I said it when my 11 yr old son was diagnosed, and I'll say it again,
CANCER SUCKS!
I read there is something in almonds that kills cancer and that eating them could help people that have cancer.
NICE BULGE
Fo USA and go Eric! I pray all goes well for him on all counts!
Good luck to him. Live Strong.
millions get cancer each day and chose to be strong for their families and their life so fuck you and fuck this guy for acting like this is some kind of saintly act.
Always get a second and third opinion. Remember cancer is big business. There are so many medical therapies and alternative therapies to choose from. STAY INFORMED!
Re: DLR – Don't wait, but . . . . . PROCEED WITH CAUTION! Some times the "cure" will do more damage.
Re: BB –
"Loved" him? He didn't die sweetheart…
Eric swam for Auburn University but now trains with Longhorn Aquatics in Austin, TX (thus the longhorn for those who were confused). I just have to say that I am SICKENED that anyone implied that Eric got cancer because he took steroids. I can say with 100% certainty that Eric never took steroids or any type of illegal supplements. Actually, Eric is probably the smallest Olympic swimmer, so if you had ever met him or ever seen it, these implications would be laughable. Everything he has achieved he has worked year after year for. He is one of the most perseverent people I have ever met, and he will no doubt conquer this as well. He is probably one of the hardest working athletes you will ever meet. Best of luck to Eric in Beijing.
It looks like he is smuggling grapes in his Speedos…
Steroids.
what a bunch of crap! because of his 'diagnosis' he'll be able to register for TUE: Therapeutic Use Exemption…meaning he can use all the steroids and doping he wants to. How convenient.
Go Eric. You're the man. Best of luck to you in Beijing and with treatment.
Perez, you should do more coverage on swimmers, they're the hottest athletes, honestly. Also, they don't call him HUGE for nothin
His Package looks mighty fine to me!
This kid is not on steroids. USA Swimming and FINA tests you almost monthly for illegal substances. No USA swimmers are on steroids. Swimming isn't cycling. USA swimming is the powerhouse of the world and we do it clean!
ermmm.. just to work on something here compete has no "L" in it.
Why the need to tell other people how to live.? His life his choice and he is doing it his way.Best of luck to him and for his choice
Re: momfo – You must be the dumbest asshole on the planet.
Re: jrozy – Another brainwashed moron redneck. Do some real research. It's called genetics. Everyone should be dead if we got sick as easily as you think we can you stupid retard!
wow and he's so healthy. Wish someone would find a cure or Cause for cancer already. We'll be cheering you on Eric!
I wish him all the best!!
Re: not – My Dad took tetracycline for over 25 years. Tetracycline is known to attack the kidneys. All antibiotics internalize infection and can lead to cancer. Hmmmm . . . my Dad died of kidney cancer. My maternal grandfather was gassed in WWI (severely poisoned) he died of pancreatic cancer when he was still quite young. Oh and all those smokers? Must have inherited the gene to smoke? I wish it was all genetics, since my Dad had absolutely no history of cancer and neither did my grandfather.
I'll bathe and shave him while he's recovering.
Totally stupid!!!! Get the surgery now!!! Cancer cans pread very fast and by the time it has spread the survival rate decreases. I think this guy should withdrawal from the olympics and worry about saving his life.
This idiot is no inspiration and he's being stupid about his health. A role model??—teaching people to postpone necessary and timely cancer treatment for something frivilous!?!? Nice shot of his balls in the pic, btw. tee-hee
I went to high school with this kid!! GO ERIC! Lilburn, GA will be thinking of you!
nice package. 3 balls?
Re: past – The Olympics are ONLY a month away. How much do you think steroids would really help him in that amount of time? Don't be such a douche.
You know, The olympics are an amazing thing, but our daughter has been thorugh brain surgery two years of chemo, a year off, radiation, 6 years stable and now more chemo…..get it while you can. My husband is a criminal defense attorney in Houston, Texas who is on occasion in the public eye….and being someone in the public eye means nothing. Get it while you can. Stacy McWilliams
Hopefully he won't turn into a douchebag like Lance did.
His health should come first. I know the Olympics are important, but come on dude, take care of yourself first!
Re: momfo – #39
WTF????? The guy has testicular cancer from doing 'roids and now he's going to have a free ticket to use them and whatever else he wants in the Olympics.
He wants his story to "inspire others"? Then 'fess up about the 'roids and tell your story after you've gotten better
fucking idiot
MmMmmm.. I could totally see his package. Don't act like you didn't even look.
damn, what a hottie. he's packin'. i'd do him even if he had both nuts cut off.
hope he wins a medal and doesn't take the dirt nap.
I've known and swam with Eric since I was 9 and he's the hardest worker I've known. I know he's clean and that this was just an unlucky event. He's not doing this to "get press" or "be a hero" he just knew it was going to get out. Now he can do his few news shows and get back to training and thinking about his Olympic dream. Keep strong, kick ass at the Olympics, and get healthy soon. We're all cheering for you here in GA!
Re: ade – I couldn't agree w/ you more. As a cancer survivor, I learned that you have to keep moving forward. Stay as positive as you can and DO NOT give up on yourself or your dreams! DO NOT listen to assholes who think they know more than you or your Dr. To those out there making these cruel & useless comments, you better pray that this never happens to you or your loved ones! Your words may come back to bite you on the ass. Best of luck Eric, at the Olympics and in life!
man! that speedo…..HOT!
Sucks about that…
Success rates with testicular cancer are very good if caught early. I hope this gives him a passioned reason for renewed focus at the Olympics, and spurs him on to greater performance heights. You realize there is only now. Best wishes.
OMG LOOK AT HIS PACKAGE THOUGH, WOW!
That's great and inspiring and all….BUT…I can't figure out the 2 lumps in his package. Which one is meat and which is potatoes? I'm stumped.
Drop the stupid word BATTLE. He hasn't even started with his treatment yet. Let's think of a new word besides battle.
Talk about determination–I'm here in Pittsburgh at the Transplant Olympic Games! All of the athletes have had one or more organs transplanted and they are NO JOKE.
Praying for him!
Omaha, NE made it on the site though, tight!
i am a competitive swimmer, and my sister will be in beijing this year for our home country estonia
Eric Shanteau is my hero, hes incredible, and strong.
Wow, he's so hot.
Eric, the Olympics must mean a lot to you, but I sincerely think that cancer can spread too fast to wait … you can't let it get into the lymph nodes as has been said. Please drop out and get the surgery post-haste. Wishing you the best.