Two Athletes, One Inspiration
Christian Lealiifano, an Australian rugby player, is cheering for Ikee’s comeback at the Tokyo Olympics. Like Ikee, Lealiifano also overcame leukemia and competed in the 2019 Rugby World Cup. This is a news report dated July 24, 2021.
In November 2020, Lealiifano and Ikee had the chance to share their experiences. They talked about keeping motivation and the meaning of their illnesses. Ikee was deeply moved by his determination to become even stronger than before he fell ill. Lealiifano was impressed by Ikee as a person. He said, “She is remarkable, both as a woman and as an athlete.”
In the summer of 2016, Lealiifano learned that he had leukemia. At that time, he had a plan to join a Japanese company’s rugby club, but he decided to receive treatment in his home country. At first, Lealiifano felt hopeless and asked himself, “Why me?” But he learned to accept those feelings and focused on matters within his control. He decided to do everything in his power to improve his chances of survival.
His mother put up a poster in his hospital room. It depicted a bird on a branch in the middle of a storm, along with the message: “The storm will eventually pass, and a new day will dawn.” Lealiifano recalled, “At that time, my three-month-old son and the messages of encouragement from all over the world gave me strength.”
After an operation, Lealiifano lost 13 kilograms. He walked around the hospital and did some exercise. Thanks to his efforts, he made a comeback in June 2017.
Lealiifano said, “As a professional player, there’s a lot of pressure, and sometimes the joy of the sport is lost.” However, fighting the illness allowed him to remember the importance of playing just for fun, like in his childhood.
In the 2019 World Cup, Lealiifano helped the Australian team reach the quarter-finals. He said, “We want to inspire positive thinking in others. Ikee is inspiring people all over Japan. We’re all proud of her, and we hope she wins the gold medal.” He added with a smile, “However, if she ends up competing against the Australian swimmers, even a silver medal is just fine.”
Christian Lealiifano, an Australian rugby player, is cheering for Ikee’s comeback at the Tokyo Olympics. Like Ikee, Lealiifano also overcame leukemia and competed in the 2019 Rugby World Cup. This is a news report dated July 24, 2021.
In November 2020, Lealiifano and Ikee had the chance to share their experiences. They talked about keeping motivation and the meaning of their illnesses. Ikee was deeply moved by his determination to become even stronger than before he fell ill. Lealiifano was impressed by Ikee as a person. He said, “She is remarkable, both as a woman and as an athlete.”
In the summer of 2016, Lealiifano learned that he had leukemia. At that time, he had a plan to join a Japanese company’s rugby club, but he decided to receive treatment in his home country. At first, Lealiifano felt hopeless and asked himself, “Why me?” But he learned to accept those feelings and focused on matters within his control. He decided to do everything in his power to improve his chances of survival.
His mother put up a poster in his hospital room. It depicted a bird on a branch in the middle of a storm, along with the message: “The storm will eventually pass, and a new day will dawn.” Lealiifano recalled, “At that time, my three-month-old son and the messages of encouragement from all over the world gave me strength.”
After an operation, Lealiifano lost 13 kilograms. He walked around the hospital and did some exercise. Thanks to his efforts, he made a comeback in June 2017.
Lealiifano said, “As a professional player, there’s a lot of pressure, and sometimes the joy of the sport is lost.” However, fighting the illness allowed him to remember the importance of playing just for fun, like in his childhood.
In the 2019 World Cup, Lealiifano helped the Australian team reach the quarter-finals. He said, “We want to inspire positive thinking in others. Ikee is inspiring people all over Japan. We’re all proud of her, and we hope she wins the gold medal.” He added with a smile, “However, if she ends up competing against the Australian swimmers, even a silver medal is just fine.”