How Testicular Cancer And A Shattered Jaw Inspired This Maltese Man To Raise Awareness Through Sports
Challenging and life-threatening events can often bring with them a stronger sense of gratitude and a deeper understanding of life.
This is what happened to gym enthusiast Brian Vella when two life-changing experiences helped shed light on what truly matters in life, and helped re-write his narrative and in turn, become a contributor to raising awareness on cancer.
Lovin Malta spoke with Brian Vella, a survivor of testicular cancer. He was first diagnosed at the young age of 27-years-old, and later suffered a shocking accident that left him with a shattered jaw and stapled bones.
Brian Vella on his bike
When did it all start?
“In May 1999, whilst playing football, I started to experience some tenderness in one of my testicles. This then developed into pain and swelling, and I had to go and get checked by my GP,” he said.
“When I did not see any improvement following a short course of antibiotics my doctor referred me to a urologist who immediately diagnosed me with testicular cancer and I was operated upon early the next morning.”
“At that time I was just 27 years old and had been married for less than 6 months and I didn’t take this unexpected news well. Back then, there wasn’t much awareness about cancer and this was the first time I had heard about testicular cancer so this diagnosis felt like a death sentence to me.”
“After the operation, I started to heal physically, but mentally I was a changed man who was living in constant fear of a relapse and who could not accept the fate which had been blown at him.”
Vella says that he had no choice but to put on a brave face and pretend to be okay, expressing that this was easier than admitting his true feelings at the time. To help him cope with the experience, he ended up turning to alcohol and partying.
Brian Vella with his family
Two children, and a shattered jawbone
“In the years that followed my two sons were born, something which I had been advised might never happen,” he recounted.
“Although I loved them dearly, parenthood did not stop me from partying hard until one evening when I was involved in an accident that left me with a shattered jawbone,” he said.
“Following major surgery to reconstruct my jaw my mouth was stapled to allow the bones to heal. This meant that I could only eat liquids via a straw for a number of weeks,” he said.
“Here I realised that I had come close to losing my life twice and instead of celebrating being alive I had been wasting it away by feeling sorry for myself.”
Brian Vella competing in marathons abroad
The take-up of sport
Vella recounted how two of his colleagues happened to be long-distance runners and started to encourage him to take up the sport.
“Very soon I was truly hooked and started to take part in races locally and also overseas. I was doing well and constantly pushed myself to better my timings and increase my distances. I took part in a number of international half and full marathons and along the way made many new friends who shared the same love for sports,” he said.
“I also used to work out at the gym to strengthen my body, and do yoga to help myself stretch and recover between runs and gym workouts.”
Brian Vella competing in marathons abroad
A knee injury that led to cycling
“Unfortunately, a knee injury sustained during a football match many years earlier started to bother me and eventually I needed surgery,” he said.
Unfortunately, the surgery did not go as planned, and Vella had to give up running completely after practising for eight years.
“This was another shock to me as running had become a very important part of my life,” he expressed.
But that didn’t stop him from trying out new ways to practice sports, finding that cycling gave him a similar rush to running.
“I started to try out different sports and at first, I focused on rowing and swimming but cycling was the sport that gave me the thrill similar to running.”
Brian Vella cycling
Where is he now?
Around three years ago, one of the members told him about the Alive Charity Foundation and their yearly cycling challenge to aid cancer research and improve cancer awareness.
“I was really interested and wanted to find out more. I was encouraged to join one of their meetings and I immediately felt welcome by the other cyclists. The aim of this foundation was really close to my heart and so I knew right away that I wanted to be part of this great team,” he said.
“In 2019 I joined them as we cycled all the way from Norway to the Netherlands – a distance of 1200 km over 7 days.”
During 2020 and 2021 this challenge could not be held due to the pandemic and this had a negative impact on the collection of funds for the foundation’s cause.
“However, this year we shall once again take on a cycling challenge, this time going all around Sicily – a distance of 1000 km over 6 days.”
Vella also expressed that they are hoping to collect a good sum of money, to ensure that the cancer research will continue to be funded by the generosity of the public.
Vella now works in a popular gym in Valletta, helping other people achieve their fitness goals.
Donate to the Alive Charity Foundation if you would like to be a part of funding cancer research!
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