‘I’d lost every bit of muscle’: David Brooks on cancer and return to football

20-Apr-2023 18:00:03 | Guardian

Bournemouth and Wales winger opens up on fears and tears
Celebrating promotion last season left him out of breath

David Brooks has opened up on his recovery from cancer, with the Bournemouth and Wales winger admitting that football paled into insignificance as he fought back from stage-two Hodgkin lymphoma. Brooks, who returned to Premier League action last month, has revealed he put on 15kg (2st 5lb) after six months of chemotherapy and said his household was tearful after learning he would return to playing.

Brooks confirmed he was cancer-free in March 2022 but a hamstring problem delayed his first-team return. The 25-year-old received a warm ovation from both sets of supporters after making his first-team comeback as a second-half substitute at Aston Villa, 536 days on from his previous appearance.