'I was superfit karate Black Belt but it didn't stop cancer'
Julius Manyoni is a Black Belt 6th Dan karate instructor and the epitome of fitness. He didn't drink or smoke and watched what he ate.
But he was suddenly left stunned when he began struggling for breath simply climbing stairs – a task he could usually do with ease. For over four decades, Julius had dedicated himself to karate, starting his own club in 1986 where he taught weekly, all while managing a full-time job running an agency for domiciliary carers.
But his life took a dramatic turn when he was diagnosed with stage 3 myeloma, a form of blood cancer. He said: "I was super fit, I didn't drink or smoke, had never taken drugs, I ate the right foods and exercised regularly. As my friends later said, I was the last person you'd expect to receive a cancer diagnosis.
"In July 2019, I started to feel as if my heartbeat was irregular. I felt out of breath going upstairs. I had never felt breathless in my entire life. I was used to running up the stairs 10 times a day without any problem. Now I was gasping for air walking up just one flight.", reports Surrey Live.
"I knew there must be something wrong and booked to see the GP. I assumed I had a problem with my heart. But an ECG and blood saturation tests showed my heart was strong. My GP wanted to investigate further and sent me for urgent blood tests at the hospital to be done the very same day."
Within days, he was summoned for a haematology appointment and faced the prospect of a biopsy. He recalled: "At this point, I was very blasé. Even though I was told there was a possibility I had some form of blood cancer, I wasn't worried. I was absolutely certain there had been a mistake and that I would be given the all-clear once all the results were back."
In September 2019, he returned to the hospital to see the haematology consultant. His heart sank as he entered the room: "When I opened the door, I saw a Macmillan nurse in the room and straight away knew something wasn't quite right."
The news he received next was not what he had braced himself for. He said: "I was not prepared for the results I was about to get. My previous knowledge of Macmillan nurses was an association with end-of-life care, so when the consultant explained they were sorry to tell me I had tested positive for myeloma, I feared the worst."
Although the cancer was incurable, being told it was treatable offered him a glimmer of hope, yet the shock was palpable. He shared: "I think I went blank and numb. I don't remember hearing a huge amount of what was said or how I would be treated. I don't even remember how I got home from the hospital. I know some people like to talk about these things, but I felt a sense of emptiness and just wanted to be alone. I didn't want to speak to anyone, I just needed time to understand and process what was happening to me."
The 66-year-old from Maidstone in Kent, added: "My consultant wanted me to start treatment immediately, but there was a karate competition coming up and I wanted to be able to support my team taking part in that, so I asked for it to be postponed. But in November 2019, I started six months of chemotherapy."
After undergoing a stem cell transplant in July 2020, which unfortunately didn't take, he faced a significant setback but chose to remain optimistic. He expressed: "Worrying won't change anything. You have to be positive and keep fighting."
In a turn of fortune, August 2020 saw him begin treatment with lenalidomide, a drug not previously available on the NHS, which has led to his current remission. He revealed: "I am one of the first NHS patients to be benefiting from it and am doing very well – I have no side effects and it is really working for me. I am in remission and feel good."
Despite everything he says he wakes each day with gratitude and a focus on the present, a mindset reinforced by his karate training. He reflected: "I visit the hospital every two months for check-ups and blood tests. But I wake up every morning feeling grateful to be here, grateful to see the sun another day and breathe fresh air. I am very philosophical. I don't think too much about tomorrow, I very much live in the present. I have always been strong psychologically and karate teaches you to focus on the moment, not to look too far ahead.
"I don't think about the future, but I am very grateful to the scientists who have worked so hard to make these drugs possible. It is exciting to think that the next generation will have better treatments and more options available when it comes to tackling cancer.
"Throughout my whole cancer experience, the only time I truly broke down was when I saw kids struggling with cancer. They hadn't yet lived their lives. Children should not have to go through that. That is why cancer research is so fundamental."
Myeloma, also known as multiple myeloma, is a blood cancer originating from plasma cells. At any given moment, there are over 33,000 people living with myeloma in the UK, making up 15 per cent of blood cancers, and two per cent of all cancers.
Julius is now backing The Institute of Cancer Research Spring Appeal, which specifically focuses on the charity's blood cancer research. You can donate to support future research by visiting the site.
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