A fit and healthy social media professional has revealed the three red flags that triggered the GP visit that eventually revealed he was suffering stage four cancer.
Govind Sandhu, 38, who is the head of Global Music Partnerships at TikTok Australia, was diagnosed with stage four Non Hodgkins Lymphoma after noticing his knee was swollen after the Sydney Half Marathon.
Mr Sandhu, who has worked at TikTok for three years, said in an Instagram post on Monday he finished the half-marathon while cancer was 'running wild' through his system.
'Up until I finished the Sydney Half Marathon I did not have any official symptoms,' Mr Sandhu said.
'I ran the half-marathon along with being away a weekend prior in a remote part of Australia running trails with stage four Non Hodgkins Lymphoma running wild through my system'.
Mr Sandhu said the half-marathon and the running trails felt a 'bit harder' than normal but he did not think it was due to cancer.
The 38-year-old explained a day after the race he experienced 'really bad flu-like symptoms' and bad body aches on the back of his neck and down his shoulder.
He also experienced 'wild night sweats' which woke him up several times during the night and had him 'absolutely drenched' in sweat.
Govind Sandhu, 38, (pictured) was diagnosed with stage four Non Hodgkins Lymphoma
'They are the three things that made me go direct to the GP the next day,' Mr Sandhu said.
Mr Sandhu urged fellow Aussies to be proactive by speaking to a doctor about warning signs, scheduling six-monthly blood checks and having a full body ultrasound.
'It's better to be safe than sorry,' Mr Sandhu said.
'I would add every six month rotation to go and get your blood work done just to make sure your levels are all in check.
'If you want to take it one step further, talk to a doctor about getting an ultrasound of your body done just to make sure there are no sinister things going on.'
In another video shared to Instagram, the Sydneysider said he was 'absolutely shocked and devastated' and was asking himself 'why me?' following his diagnosis.
He added things 'just went downhill' after finishing the Sydney Half Marathon, but initially thought the swelling on his knee was from a running injury.
'[I had a] swollen knee, although I thought that's because my knee was injured from a stack from when I was in Hobart running some trails,' he said.
In a video shared to Instagram, Mr Sandhu explained he experienced flu-like symptoms, 'really bad body aches' to the back of his neck and down his shoulder and 'wild night sweats'
'But [also] just really bad body aches and sweats and everything that would make you think it was the flu or Covid.
'And over a four week period, I just deteriorated.'
After several GP visits, blood tests, ultrasounds, PET and CT scans and tissue biopsies, doctors finally got a 'comprehensive overview of where things are at'.
'But there's also been some complications, as they found some abnormalities just above my pancreas and on my heart,' Mr Sandhu explained.
'But it looks like, fingers crossed, the heart is okay.'
Mr Sandhu will start chemotherapy soon and if there is cancer above his pancreas, it will get 'zapped'.
'It will be aggressive because the cancer is aggressive,' he said.
There was an outpouring of support for Govind on social media, with many followers sending him 'good vibes'.
'You've got this, Gove. [There is] no better human to have the strength, resilience and positivity to kick this in the butt,' one wrote.
Another added: 'You've smashed everything you've ever put your heart and mind to, homie. This is no different.'
A third commented: 'It messed with the wrong person. You're gonna crush this, mate!'
The TikTok boss (pictured) who works in Global Music Partnerships shared that he dismissed his swollen knee and aches and pains, but his health soon went 'downhill'
The 38-year-old (pictured) encouraged fellow Aussies to speak to a doctor about symptoms and to schedule blood checks every six months to be 'safe rather than sorry'
Mr Sandhu said he 'can't believe it' and knows he has a fight on his hands, but is adamant it 'won't be the end of my story'.
'Long road ahead, but this won't be the end of my story. It can't be! I'm 38 years old, [I've] lived the most blessed life to date and have so much more to live for,' he said.
'Reality is, I have a chance to fight this f**ker, so I'll take the W [win] there.
'Life is beautiful. I am lucky and grateful for what I have.'
He hopes his health battle will remind people to get tested because cancer 'doesn't discriminate'.
'Get your check-ups, go get your bloodwork done. If you're feeling sick don't just try and fight it off,' he urged.
