Nine Lives: Football, Cancer And Getting On With Life

by Adam Ramanauskas

In February 2003, Adam Ramanauskas was living every boy's dream. At twenty-two he'd been noted as a star of the future and already had one AFL premiership under his belt. He was having the time of his life. Then the bottom fell out of his world. The discovery of an unusual lump in Adam's right shoulder quickly led to the words no one wants to hear: 'You have cancer.' Over the next few years, his three battles with cancer would require every ounce of courage and determination he could summon. This is the remarkable story of a young man who not only bounced back after each setback, but made an incredible return to elite sport, inspiring his teammates, family and the medical profession with his resilience and refusal to take anything lying down. It's a story of growing up quickly and learning about the urgency of time, and working out what matters most.

292 pages, Paperback

First published June 15, 2010

Reviews

[Tony · Rating 2 out of 5]

Someone recently gave me a whole lot of sporting biographies and this was one of them. The book was OK but as I have seemed to read so many of these types of books recently, I think it is a little like visiting temples overseas, after a while they can all become the same and you become a little blasé about them. This book was a little different in that he suffered from a rare cancer and and still came back to play at the elite level. I recognise and acknowledge that great achievement. But...the book was written in an adulation style and highlighted the privilege that footballers have and they way that people react to them because they are good at a sport. He was able to jump queues, fundraise and get media exposure all because he was good at footy. I don't want to sound like a spoil sport but the style of writing became irritating after a while.

[Todd Simpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a special story. Besides getting an insight of Adams career it's a truly inspirational story of a fight for survival against many odds. Adam is a special human being and I'm glad he is still with us today. Well worth a read. 5/5 Star Rating.