The year that changed everything. Barney shares his story how he successfully battled cancer

Barney Purbrook's comeback story

Barnabas Purbrook — Barney to his teammates — is a husband, new dad, city finance professional, and one of the most respected riders in the Sigma Sports Masters race team. A former semi-pro rugby player turned white collar boxer turned competitive cyclist, Barney has never been the type to sit still. So when a persistent back pain led to scans, a biopsy, and a blood cancer diagnosis, the physical and psychological challenge ahead was unlike anything he'd faced on or off the bike.

In this episode, Barney sits down to talk candidly about the year that changed everything. He walks us through the moment of diagnosis, the brutal reality of six rounds of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and how he managed — remarkably — to keep riding throughout treatment. We hear about the nutrition strategy he developed, the coaching support that kept him structured, the mental frameworks that helped him move through the darkest moments and huge support from his wife Annabel and his close friends. 

In this episode

- The diagnosis — and the hardest part of telling people

- Training and riding through chemotherapy

- Nutrition during cancer treatment

- Identity, fear, and the five stages of grief

- The remission letter — and what comes next

- How the team found out, and the message that moved everyone

"How long have I been operating with this limitation? Maybe I can come back stronger. That's what I need to focus on."

— Barney Purbrook

After finishing this episode recording I've been thinking about the section when the medical advice to the question 'what can we do to avoid getting cancer' the response was 'not much, its very much a game of chance'. 

On reflection I should have brought up some of the contents of the blog I wrote last year about improving your healthspan. Have a read. 

https://www.chiro.london/blog/longevity-and-health-span

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