Newcastle midfielder Jonas Gutierrez has broken the news that he has been suffering from testicular cancer. The Argentine was initially diagnosed with the disease in 2013 and in an interview with Argentinian news outlet TN, he said he "decided to tell (his) story because it might be useful for other people who have cancer".
I felt a sharp pain after clashing with another player in a match against Arsenal.I noticed it started to swell and then I had a scan. They told me I had to had surgery the next day. I asked if it was cancer and they said yes.
They detected a tumour in one of my testicles. When cancer was confirmed, I went home crying.
While the most pressing matter in all this is that Gutierrez recovers from the debilitating illness, some of what he has had to say about the matter will not reflect well on his club. One thing that will undoubtedly be picked up on is that Newcastle have not contributed to his costs.
I came here [Argentina] and I took care of the costs, despite being contracted to Newcastle. Money isn't important, what matters is your health. I had to undergo chemotherapy.
However, perhaps the most damning quote is how Gutierrez felt about his treatment on his return to the club. In January he was sent out on loan to Norwich despite the fact that he felt he was fit and willing to play for Newcastle.
I underwent surgery in Argentina and they removed my left testicle. I went back to England and the manager told me to leave. I was shocked, because I played consistently for five years.
Gutierrez has since returned to Argentina and within the next week he will undertake his last scheduled course of treatment with the hope that he will return to football.
Gracias por todos los mensajes de apoyo. Mirando siempre para adelante. Thanks for all the messages. Always looking fordward.
— jonas gutierrez (@elgalgojonas) September 16, 2014
For any spanish speakers, you can see the interview at TyC
Via Todo Noticias and Goal Espana
