Twits

Friday, July 15, 2011

Alisa Kleybanova diagnosed with cancer.

News broke today on twitter that twenty-two-year-old today Russian tennis star Alisa Kleybanova has been diagnosed with Stage 2 Hodgkins Lymphoma. World number 28 has been out of action for months with a mysterious illness and the tragic news broke today detailing what the illness was.

Kleybanova is receiving treatment in Italy and I am sure I speak for the tennis world when I say we hope and pray she recovers well and is able to get back onto the court as soon as possible.

My thoughts and prays reach out to her and her family also during this tough time. And hope they can get through this very upsetting time.

EDIT: Since posting this article Alisa has made a statement regarding the illness. 

Hello everyone :)


It's my birthday today and I want to thank all of you for the wonderful messages and wishes. I haven't written anything for a long time about why I haven't been on tour, so I would like to do it today.


It's not an easy time for me right now. I have Hodgkin's lymphoma, a form of cancer. I'm having treatment in Italy and it's going well, but it takes lots of patience and time, and I need to be really strong and positive to go through this. I still have a few more months of treatment to go. But the good news is, if I feel well after I'm done with everything, there's a chance that I'll be able to play tennis again. There is nothing for sure, but the chance is a big hope for me and it helps me to stay positive and focus on my healing every single day! I really miss playing - I miss seeing fans and friends around the world, I miss hitting the ball, I miss everything. Tennis has been my life for the last 15 years.


There are a few reasons why I'm undergoing treatment in Italy. First, I have a training base and many close friends here, so it's like a second home. Second, the hospital in Perugia is one of the best in Italy that specializes in this problem and the doctors are doing everything the best for me. It's just the perfect place for me to be - the surroundings help me to feel at home.


I am a strong person. I've shown it before. Obviously this is different than anything I've ever experienced, but after this is over I'm sure my life will be even better than ever before. This is the toughest time of my life till now, and I hope it always remains the toughest time of my life. I'm sure I'll be able to overcome this - it's just a matter of patience and time and I believe I have enough!


Of course, even though I'm in treatment, I hope I'll have a fun birthday today :) I'm really happy I have my family, my best friends and all the most important people with me here today. They're here every day, week and month helping me with everything and giving me all their support.


Anyway, I just wanted to write to you all because it has been a long time and I really miss all of you guys... I won't be on tour for a little while, but I really hope to see all of you again soon :)


Alisa

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow, this is truly shocking news! However, it does explain why Kleybanova is sometimes 'great' and other times 'not so great.' Guess it probably makes her feel like crap from time to time. I mean didn't she beat Clijsters a while back? And she also has lost to quite a few high ranked players IIRC.

Lucinda Perry said...

It is horrific news. However, it is heart warming to see how the tennis family comes together and wish her well http://www.tennisforum.com/showthread.php?t=440455
Its nice to see fans supporting her in the toughest fight she will face.

Yes Caps, she defeat Kim in Indian Wells 2010, and came with in a whisker of beating her again in Sydney this year...she was a dangerous floater for anyone to have in their draw.

Carlos said...

Off Topic: Back in the early 90s I knew a friend that had Hodgkin's lymphoma. I nicknamed him Pinky big guy couple inches taller than me weighing about 250 lbs. Everyone kept telling me why I nicknamed him Pinky, I always replied, 'Because of the irony'. At one time I accidentally called him Doctor Pinky and his ego boosted from then on we all called him "Dr. Pinky". He was getting radiation treatment. It was tough on him, once we were playing basketball I remember him looking up made a spin and fell to the ground. He cut his hair really short not because he like it, because he said that when he was taking a shower chunks of hair will fly off his head and leave it on the stuck on the titles. I lost contact with him. During the late 90s during a holiday I received a phone call from my best friend back when we were in high school. He was best friends with Doctor Pinky, he was the one who introduced me to Doctor Pinky. He told me Doctor Pinky died alone in hospital the previous year, he said he missed being there for five minutes. To top everything he couldn't get the body out the morgue because he wasn't a relative. At least that was what he was told. All of Pinky's relative were in his home country.


I truly wish Alysa all the best and a speedy recovery.


Her story reminded me of the late great Doctor Pinky R.I.P.

Anonymous said...

"I've hadn't luck on my side lately," the 19-year-old Oudin said in a recent conference call to promote the upcoming Citi Open in Maryland. "I've tried to stay positive, keep working hard I have a lot to learn, and hopefully, I still have a long career ahead of me. My goals right now is just to start playing better again. Start to get some more matches under my belt."

Notice no mention of changing coaches.

The Bunny/Rory Mcilroy rumors are floating with photos!

Question is, will this potential 'hook up' help, hurt, or not really matter in Bunny's game that is clearly exposed?

My guess is it'll 'hurt' because IMO she doesn't really have time to 'not' address her lame game and daddy's inability to take her game to the next level.

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