Doctors going for cure in Lyle fight
GOLFING good-guy Jarrod Lyle is positive he can beat cancer for a third time after routine blood tests on Monday discovered the disease had returned.
Lyle, 35, has twice battled acute myeloid leukaemia — first as a teenager in 1998 and then again in 2012 when he was forced to put his professional career on the lucrative US PGA Tour on hold.
Twice a tournament winner in the US, Lyle, originally from Shepparton, had become a part-time pro in the past 12 months wanting to spend more time with his wife, Briony, and daughters Lucy and Jemma at home in Torquay after his second recovery.
His last event was in May when he finished 45th in the West Australian PGA in Kalgoorlie.
He was still in shock yester- day after confirmation he faced a third cancer fight but Lyle’s wife, Briony, said advancements in treatment technology and a positive outlook from doctors had the family hopeful of a recovery.
He started an immediate course of chemotherapy and will remain in the Royal Melbourne Hospital for treatment.
“He’s got a good track record, and that’s what everyone keeps reminding us of, that he’s done it before, so why not a third time,” Briony said.
“There’s going to be quite an intensive course of treatment. We are not sure how long it will be for. The aim is to get him in to remission, and then they’ll be looking to perform another transplant of some sort.
“The doctors said today they have a curative intent.”
The family was overwhelmed with wellwishers.
From his hospital bed Lyle responded to some of those wellwishers on social media, declaring he would “give it a smashing”.
“He is still in shock and we all are. It’s a bit surreal. The reaction is that this must be some horrible joke,” Briony said.