We're all fighting our private battles and think we're doing it tough - but few of us if any are fighting to this magnitude.
For the fourth time this 49-year-old man has been diagnosed with cancer.
And if history and his attitude tells us anything, it's that he'll beat it again.
Despite the "strangely routine" testing that always seems to reveal the disease's return, this gentleman remains upbeat, positive, inspirational, and in the gym.
Meet Clive Lewis - The Unstoppable Man
Clive Lewis is the man cancer can't kill.
In the year 2000 Clive stepped off the plane an Australian immigrant from England, weighing 85kg as a "very positive and forward thinking man."
But over the next ten years Clive's weight ballooned out to 131kg, so he knew he had to do something - fast.
"After a considerable amount of hard work and personal focus I was able to get my weight down to 92kg" Clive recounts.
But then, Clive lost another 10 kilograms quite easily, and wasn't sure how.
"Little did I know but cancer was the driving force that made me lose 10kg in just under two weeks (92kg-82kg)."
It was clear that amount of weight loss wasn't normal and Clive was concerned.
"This issue was eventually diagnosed as a large and advanced cancerous growth on my kidney" Clive explains.
"Thankfully, this was removed in June 2014 along with the adjoining lymph glands. At this stage my surgeon and oncologist told me I was completely clear of cancer and it would never come back again."
But Clive's advice was mixed - during his de-brief consultation with the specialist that originally found his cancer, he was told there was a 40% chance the cancer may come back. "All a little strange I thought" Clive admits.
However with the operation complete, for Clive it was all about mending the scars and getting back to work and into the gym.
But his cancer had other ideas.
"Unfortunately in November 2014, I had that horrible all-over sick feeling yet again, and yes, I feared the worst" Clive said.
"After a race to my doctor and the same specialist and yet more scans; another cancer was found in my right lung - so the race was on to have yet another operation to remove this unwanted intruder from my body."
The same steps again - only the advice this time around was different.
"The surgeon was a little more defensive about saying It would be all clear, whereas my specialist gave me a 60% chance of cancer coming back. As of December 2014 this second cancer (right lung) was removed and the race was to get back to the gym, good health and work started once again."
Then in March 2015, Clive's body was giving him the "very clear indication" that the cancer had again come knocking. "Unfortunately my body was not telling me lies. I had in fact got cancer in my left lung" Clive recalls.
"By now my ‘dance with cancer’, the doctors, specialist and the testing process had become strangely routine."
Now in May 2015 and this third "unwanted guest" was removed from Clive's body.
"By now the Lung surgeon (the same as the first lung surgery) was a little reluctant to say I would be free from cancer again, but that was the general impression offered. My specialist who had been most forthright in the past, could no longer offer any statistics on the cancer returning or not."
The news this time was even worse.
"In his opinion and based on the speed of the return of my second and third cancers, I could have ‘hundreds or thousands of cancer cells’ running around my body, just waiting for me to be rundown and ill then settling down and create more issues for me."
Then came a big decision for Clive, and one that wasn't easy to make.
Chemotherapy
"At this point I was asked to consider chemo as a preventative/mopping up process. For my own reasons I chose to decline having chemo and decided to live as heathy a life as possible and have the prescribed blood test and scans to warn me if the cancer comes back again" Clive decided.
"I have made it my responsibility to balance all the issues and risk, and I have chosen to take a path that fits with my positive nature, passion for life and cast iron will-power."
Clive says this whole journey certainly puts things into perspective. He says his situation has allowed him to understand "what is necessary and more importantly, what is not or what is just trivial."
"So I have found it vital to form new types and lines of communication with family and friends to keep the less important, negative and yes trivial issues of the world away from my mind and heart. This even transpires into how many times or how people ask me about my ‘dance with cancer’" he said.
However Clive is first to admit his will-power and positive nature has been tested to its limits.
"As anyone with cancer would know, the word ‘remission’ is not a clean and definitive bill of health, so what did I do when I found the very fabric of my character under attack during my second and third cancers? Well I lied to myself. Yes. I had to build my positive mindset up based on a lie: 'it will be ok, I can do this', and depending on the nature of my fears on a given day; it could take me a few minutes or all day to rebuild my faith in myself, and keep moving forward with my positive mind and stoic will-power.
"When you have had any major illness with ongoing repercussions; looking forward with a positive mind-set and a passion for life is the best place of anyone to be"
Clive Lewis
After his kidney surgery, Clive was left with a double C-section scar, running horizontally from his left hip to my naval and vertically from his navel to his sternum.
But not to deter him - Clive was out of hospital in six days and out for a walk up the high street on the eighth day. Within six weeks he was back in the gym training around his scar.
After both his lung cancers he was back in the gym within three days. He wanted his body to be ready to fight again incase this "insidious illness" returned.
Clive said love has also played a big role in his positive attitude in the face of his persistent disease.
"Love is the only way to build a life after cancer, love of yourself, love of your life, love of your own time, love of your family, the love of the simple things in life and as little noise as possible" he said.
Getting Back Into The Gym
Clive has taken up the services of well-respected Sydney personal trainer Joey Sheather (I've known Joey for years, he's one of the handful of people in Australia I'd pay to train me. Oh, and he trains Michelle Bridges too!)
Joey, like the rest of us, is inspired immensely by Clive's attitude.
"I thought dragons had fire in their belly until I met Clive. If some people have an 'iron will', Clive's strength and determination was forged in the heart of a neutron star out of the densest matter imaginable" Joey explains.
"I have NEVER seen anyone give themselves over to a trainer like Clive has to me. He has no limits. He never complains. No matter how much pain he is in, how hard I am pushing him and how ruthless the workout intensity is - HE JUST GETS IT DONE. Rain, hail, shine and four bouts of life-threatening cancer - there is always a smile on this man's face."
Clive credits Joey as bringing back his body to a "cohesive, balanced and strong unit again."
"Within eight weeks of his (Joey's) guidance and a considerable amount of discomfort and pain, my strength and conditioning was slowly coming back" Clive said.
The Life Changing Moment
It was during one moment where Joey "couldn't understand how my body was putting up with my drive, will-power and his workout program and still growing in strength and conditioning" that something happened that would spark something deep inside Clive.
"Joey did no more that to take his phone out and take a video of my back and posted it on his Facebook page. Once I had seen this video the penny dropped and my future was set" Clive recalls.
"At that moment I knew I wanted to enter into a Natural Body Building show and I wanted to do it by the end of the following year. When Joey and I noticed the amount of ‘hits’ his video received, it also became apparent to me that I could use my journey to inspire others, to look past the stigma and fear of cancer and push towards a bright and more positive new future."
And so that's where Clive is now. Not complaining, not seeking shelter or questioning the world on his ill-fate. Just setting goals and never quitting.
But then, just as history suggested it would, the cancer came back.
On March 24 this year, Clive revealed on social media that his old enemy had returned:
Clive's bullet-proof optimism continues.
"For me I am not bothered that I have had cancer that I cannot change. But I can and will change what my mind and body’s expectations are, what my body can and will do and how people see me. I will not waste a moment of my time being a victim to cancer or the negative mindset that seems to be linked with it" Clive said.
"Over the last year I have fought greater battles with my mind than I could have ever fought with my hands and I have come to understand that all that stands between me and a great day is a positive mind-set and loving smile. So, if I can leave this with you I would be most thankful for you reading my story and wish you all a brighter and more fulfilled tomorrow."
And just like his smile, Clive's journey and incredible gift for hope and happiness, carries on.
"Stay Fit, Stay Flexed!"
Author
Dayne Hudson