TOchille Polonara has returned to training after fighting myeloid leukemia that almost cost him his life. The 34-year-old Italian player, formerly of Baskonia, has published some images on his social networks that invite optimism. You see him working in the gym and on the field with a Panathinaikos jersey by Juancho Hernangómez and dedicated by the Spanish player. “Let’s see if I remember how to do it,” he wrote with his particular sense of humor to accompany the photographs.
The forward has been fighting for three years, in and out of hospitals, undergoing operations and transplants. In October 2023 he had to undergo surgery for testicular cancer. After that he returned to the courts. But At the end of June last year he was diagnosed with myeloid leukemia.. In a hospital in Valencia he underwent several cycles of chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant. He was in a coma for 10 days and almost died from complications resulting from it..
Achille Polonara, during one of his training sessions.
“I don’t remember anything. They told me I had a 90% chance of dying”he said a few months ago. There were also very complicated moments psychologically. While hospitalized He considered taking his own life. “I thought: ‘Enough, I’m jumping out the window.’ I felt cornered, like 10 beasts were holding me down. I just wanted to disappear.”he said in an interview with the ‘Corriere della Sera’.
I thought: ‘Enough, I’m jumping out the window.’ I felt cornered, like 10 beasts were holding me down. I just wanted to disappear
Despite his successful recovery and overcoming so many problems, Polonara remains sober. “For many, pIt seems like I did something extraordinary, but I just fell asleep and woke up. “I don’t see anything heroic in that.”reasons about his 10 days in a coma.
One last operation
Now, revitalized, The Italian international dreams of returning to the fields. The date of March 20 was set for it, but in February he had to undergo surgery again. “They had to close a hole in my heart. After everything I’ve been through, it was a piece of cake,” joked the player, who feels strong: “Nothing scares me anymore. I’m not saying I feel invincible, but almost”.
In the summer of last year, even though he was out and not knowing if he would be able to recover and play again, Polonara signed for Dinamo Banco di Sardegna Sassari. His ambition was to be able to play again. At his age and with his physique weakened by illnesses and treatments, he may not be able to help his team much, but The mere fact of being able to jump back onto a track would already be something titanic..
