IN his own words, former Goldfields Giants captain Shamus Ballantyne – in the aftermath of a painful battle with cancer and subsequent recovery –“no longer worries about the small things too much.”

A six-time SBL Allstar, Ballantyne, 30, was forced into retirement in 2009 after being diagnosed with a form of lymphoma.

Tonight – 30 months removed from what had initially been a shock exit from the game and gruelling treatment program – the hero of the Giants’ 2007 grand final triumph returns to his old stomping ground, albeit as a member of the Willetton Tigers.

It figures to be one of the great occasions in the 22-year history of the local club, with former Giants chairman and current board member John Bowler this week rightly hailing Ballantyne “one of the club’s most favourite sons.”

Ballantyne’s inspired efforts to return to full health and fitness were slow but steady.

Last year, he made a relatively low-key comeback to the ranks of the SBL as an assistant-coach with the Tigers.

The wheel turned full circle last month when Ballantyne celebrated his return as a player with 13 points, seven assists and five rebounds in the side’s win over Stirling.

“Returning to Kalgoorlie as an assistant-coach last season might make it easier on Saturday night, but playing might be different and probably a bit emotional, ” Ballantyne said ahead of tonight’s appearance in front of his former home crowd.

“I’m excited to get back on the court up there, to see everyone – and hopefully do all right.”

During Ballantyne’s career with the Giants which spanned 153 games over six seasons, the fans loved him.

The feeling is mutual, with Ballantyne grateful to the Giants and the wider Goldfields public for the various appeals and raffles which significantly eased the burden of his medical bills.

“Having moved back to Perth, you soon realise Goldfields people are different, ” he said.

“When I was sick, all the support for myself and (wife) Mel was above and beyond anything you could ever expect.

“They are truly fantastic people.”

Early last year, any hopes of Ballantyne making a comeback to the court appeared out of the question as he “struggled to do everyday things.”

“I started to feel fitter and stronger but at the start of this pre-season, I began pretty much at the back of the pack but took my time and slowly progressed, ” he said.

“I went to rock bottom when I was sick – I could barely walk around the block, so it’s been a fairly big jump and a lot of work.”

He rated his current fitness and form at “probably 60 or 70 per cent” following eight months, encompassing four or five days at a time in hospital, of intensive chemotherapy.

“The back end of 2010 was about slowly recovering and doing a couple of days of relief work (as a school teacher) before going back (full-time) in 2011, ” Ballantyne said.

“Physically, it was really tough (because) the type of cancer I had was an aggressive one but responded pretty well to chemo.

“The downside was the type of chemo I had was full-on, so I was taken to rock bottom – after earlier being able to run 10km and be fine.

“Mentally, I wondered if it (the treatment) was working.

“I guess every time I felt a little bit down, I wondered, ‘is it coming back?’

“I didn’t really think I’d get back playing but once I felt better, I realised it was probably a good way, mentally, to put some things behind me. That was my goal – to see if I could still play at that level.

“Perhaps more than anything, the importance of family and friends was reinforced during those times.”

Article by Neale Harvey (Kalgoorlie Miner)
Photo by Kellie Lewis (Kalgoorlie Miner): Shamus Ballantyne with wife Mel on their return to Kalgoorlie-Boulder back in 2010 after overcoming his battle with cancer.