Former SKILLED Goldfields Giants captain Shamus Ballantyne is a shining example to his old team-mates of beating the odds. As much as his on-court heroics inspired the Giants during his six seasons with the club, Ballantyne has had to fight even harder during a year-long battle with cancer.

But Ballantyne was smiling again on Thursday – fighting fit after eight months of chemotherapy for lymphoma and with his new wife Mel on his arm.

“I’ve had my first scan afterwards and that’s come back clear, so that’s been a bit of a relief,” Ballantyne said. “Now it’s just regular check-ups and monitoring at this stage because there is a chance it could come back.”

Ballantyne will be courtside to cheer on his old team-mates against Wanneroo in tonight’s State Basketball League clash at Kalgoorlie’s Neils Hansen Stadium. It is the 28-year-old’s first trip back to the Goldfields since being diagnosed last October after falling ill during the 2009 SBL play-offs.

Ballantyne, a six-time SBL Allstar, was sidelined as the Giants were thwarted in their bid for a third successive championship with the side’s 104-99 semi-final loss to Perry Lakes. In a matter of days, however, Ballantyne’s focus switched dramatically from the Giants’ play-offs campaign to devoting all his energies to his treatment in Perth.

It had been as simple as finding a lump under his right arm. “It was hard to go from being quite fit to hitting rock bottom fitness-wise and just struggling to walk down to the letter box,” he said. “It’s slowly getting better so it’s a good feeling.

“I’d been having problems for a couple of months and it was obviously a big shock to find out you’ve got cancer. “But at least they found out what was wrong so we could start treatment and getting better. It was tough but then all our focus went into getting right.”

Ballantyne, a physical education teacher, has been unable to work since being diagnosed.

Ballantyne wed long-time girlfriend Mel Collins in January and has been living in his parents’ house in Perth in between hospital treatments.

The generosity of the Goldfields community has helped the couple make ends meet, with fundraising efforts including a special Allstars game and last night’s quiz night at the Caledonian Hall.

Ballantyne said the response had been overwhelming. “The community has been fantastic,” he said. “I didn’t know a lot of what was going on back here because I was so focused on treatment, but I heard reports of massive fundraising efforts, a raffle which went great guns.

“Everyone was always keeping in contact. It meant a lot to myself and my wife to have that support. “THE community rallied around us and it definitely made it easier for us.”

On his future, Ballantyne’s sole focus remains staying healthy. “For the time-being we’re staying in Perth to stay in contact with specialists,” he said.

“I’ve still got a few complaints I’ve got to get sorted out. “I haven’t even thought about playing – it’s just good to be feeling a bit better and happy to catch up with everyone. I definitely miss Kalgoorlie and the people.

“Everyone is so close – the basketball community and the school community have been fantastic to me and I miss everyone which has been one of the hardest things. “The people in Kalgoorlie make Kalgoorlie.”

Back to the court and the Giants could do worse than look to Ballantyne for inspiration ahead of this season’s play-offs. Even though critics have written the Giants off after losing five of their past six games, Ballantyne has high hopes.

This is from the player who was named MVP in the 2007 grand final, which Goldfields won 96-94 against Lakeside, despite trailing by 11 points with five minutes remaining. “I’ve still been going to most of the away games when they’re in Perth, catching up with the guys and watching them,” he said “They’re definitely a good chance in the finals this year if they can get things going.”

Article by Jarrod Lucas (Kalgoorlie Miner)
Photo by Kellie Lewis: Shamus Ballantyne and his wife Mel outside the Neils Hansen Stadium, Kalgoorlie

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