THE GAME’S HIS GOAL
Gee-Gee looks to beat cancer
Jean-Robin Mantha is 22, so you might expect him to be dealing with the challenges of being a General Arts student at the University of Ottawa and a second-year defenceman with the Gee-Gees men’s hockey squad.
Less expected is for someone like Mantha to be talking about being diagnosed with cancer, having his right testicle surgically removed and enduring hardcore chemotherapy: five four-hour treatments in the first, fourth and seventh weeks of a nine-week cycle; single four-hour sessions in the other six weeks.
To be blunt, it sucks. Amid all that emotional and physical turmoil, though, there have been uplifting reactions from not only those close to Mantha, but also from others with no connection whatsoever to the 22-year-old Gatineau native, who went public about his illness in November, even composing English- and French-language posts for team web pages.
“A lot of people I didn’t even know, they sent me some incredible messages,” Mantha said in an interview at uOttawa’s Minto Sports Complex arena. “Also, I was participating in Movember and people were donating a lot of money to the foundation in my name, so I was really blessed about that.
“People, they don’t even know me, but they just know my story and help me.”
Sharing details beyond a circle of relatives, close friends and teammates wasn’t just about Mantha, but also partly about Gee-Gees women’s hockey player Mélisa Kingsley, who died Oct. 31 following a two-year fight with sarcoma. She was 20.
Kingsley had arrived on campus in Ottawa in 2016, but her cancer was diagnosed in pre-season testing. Although she played one pre-season game and two regular-season contests in the fall of 2017, much of her remaining time was spent at home in Sudbury.
Mantha said he didn’t know Kingsley personally and wasn’t aware of her situation.
What he has learned about his own is that it doesn’t have to all be about surgery, chemotherapy and the fatigue that has crushed him for the first 14 of every 21 days since chemo began in mid-October, nor losing his hair and beard a few weeks later.
“In all that negative thing called cancer, I have managed to find some positive things to learn and also feel,” he said. “It’s not a great time, having cancer, but you have to find positives to go through this. If not, it’s going to be a long ride.” A lot of things happened quickly. Mantha hadn’t previously felt discomfort, but detected an abnormality in his testicle in mid-August. He disregarded it for a week, but then decided to see a doctor, who ordered a scan.
Another week later, cancer was confirmed. Another week after that, he had surgery, but followup blood tests revealed lingering cancer markers, which meant he had to commence chemotherapy in mid- October.
His final scheduled chemo session at a Gatineau hospital is Dec. 18, after which there will be another scan and more blood tests.
Hoping for and expecting good news, he says his next goal will be getting back into shape and into a game with the Gee-Gees, but their last contest of the Ontario University Athletics 2018-19 regular season is Feb. 9, so it will be tight.
He has lost muscle because he hasn’t been training, but medication has helped him maintain his appetite and his weight.
On the other hand, being unable to work out and practise has been hard to take for someone who has played competitive hockey since age seven.
He also dropped two of four fall-semester classes, though he hopes to salvage the other two and to resume regular studies after the holiday break.
“It’s killing me,” Mantha said. “Not being with the guys and working out and going outside, it’s hard on me mentally because usually before, each day, I was training and playing hockey or doing something, at least going to school, seeing some people.
“But now I can’t do anything because I have to stay home.”
Before enrolling at uOttawa, Mantha played three seasons with the Montreal-based CEGEP St-Laurent Patriotes, and he was RSEQ collegiate league MVP in 2016-17 after compiling 10 goals and 27 assists in 34 games.
His last Gee-Gees contest was Jan. 27, a 5-2 home-ice victory against the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières Patriotes. Six days earlier, he scored his only goal in 17 games overall during a power play against the Concordia Stingers.
“Of course, next season is still a goal, but, if I can help the team as soon as possible, I want to do it,” Mantha said.
“I want to play right now. I’m getting crazy not playing hockey. It’s an addiction for us hockey players, so we want to play as soon as possible.”
Gee-Gees head coach Patrick Grandmaître says it’s possible even as he acknowledges Mantha’s situation.
Nothing’s more serious than cancer, Grandmaître concurs, but Mantha is also different from a player who tears up a knee and requires surgery plus a minimum four months of rehabilitation.
Once he receives medical clearance, Mantha should be able to restore his stamina and muscle mass, even if he’s not 100 per cent immediately.
“I would be lying to you if I say we are not crossing our fingers, hoping that we can get him in a game this year. I think it’s a goal of his,” Grandmaître said. “It’s a goal of ours.
“He has been through such a crazy year, but, from what we hear, once he’s done chemo, he can go at it pretty hard.”
Mantha has attended five of seven Gee-Gees home games so far, plus cross-town matchups with the Carleton Ravens.
“When you see a hockey game, you want to play,” Mantha said. “For the next two days, you’re just thinking about hockey.
“But, at the same time, it’s nice to see your guys. They’re playing really well and winning.
“It’s fun to see.”
In all that negative thing called cancer, I have managed to find some positive things to learn and also feel.