AHEAD of the 13th Richard Pratt Cup - a game that Carlton and Collingwood will use to raise funds for the Peter Mac Cancer Centre - this Sunday, Sam Docherty took the opportunity to reflect on his own experience at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.

While being treated for testicular cancer, Docherty spent a considerable amount of time at the Cancer Centre in Parkville, and was blown away by the support he received from the staff there. 

Here's what he had to say: 

On the support of Peter Mac: 

"I probably didn’t know how big and how important the Peter Mac Cancer Centre is and how many people work throughout that place, in terms of the research, the care and the education.

"I probably centred in the ‘care’ aspect and I can’t speak more highly of the organisation. When I was getting my three months of treatment, Covid was pretty bad in Victoria, so I wasn’t able to have visitors outside the hospital with me.

"I was left to the care of the nurses, the cleaning lady and anyone who was through that Peter Mac Centre. I was having a pretty crappy time if I’m honest, mentally and physically, and the people there and the attitude they bring, you wouldn’t be able to tell if they’re having a bad day: they came in with such a bubbly personality.

"When you’re laying in bed the whole day feeling really crook, you really rely on those people. I have really fond memories at the Peter Mac Centre, which is a quite strange thing to think about seeing as some of the worst periods of my life were in that bed.

"It’s a real credit to the people and Shelly and the organisation Peter Mac, that they provide that care. It’s an incredible organisation and any money that can be raised to do research is amazing." 

On the support of the Carlton Football Club and his teammates: 

"The Carlton faithful and more broadly and my teammates and the Carlton Football Club, it was a really tough time but it was made a lot easier through the support that my Club was able to give me on a personal level.

"Footy was one of my goals at the end of it, to get back playing and hoping to play at a high level and to be supported through the whole journey back was amazing." 

On being grateful for his position: 

"From a personal level, I think gratitude was something I took out of my whole cancer journey. You get beaten pillar to post and you become really grateful for the people you have in your life, your health that you have and the people around you who are helping you in that time, you become really grateful for those moments.

"More broadly when I came back playing footy, I didn’t think I’d be able to get there in a way. But to be able to be grateful to play every week, we’ve got the best opportunity to play this week in front of a massive crowd in a massive game and I’m incredibly grateful for that.

"I get to play a game that I love for a job with all my mates, we get to play high-stakes footy with big crowds, we have an amazing supporter base that brings atmosphere into games and the position we’re in is somewhere I haven’t been in my career and I’ve wanted to be in these games and be in these moments that matter.

"To become a dad early next year and find out this year has capped off a really positive year for me. The last couple haven’t been the best and I feel like this year feels like it’s been nice for me personally, which is great."

On his message to other men/people:

"The message I would say to men more broadly and anyone really is make sure you stay up to date with your doctor's checks.

"I think men try and hide from the doctors when they have an ache or a groan: that can be the difference between saving your life or losing your life if you catch it later than you should.

"We hide the fact that we might be struggling, that’s not the way to go about it. So I’d just encourage everyone to go and see the doctor and if something is wrong, you can get it treated if you go early enough." 

On Ben Cunnington's return to football:

"Ben and I have been joined through a unique circumstance of timing in our lives. I was on the backend of my treatment when Ben announced his and being the person I am, I reached out to him and sure enough, Ben jumped all over it, asked a lot of questions and we provided support to each other throughout the whole of our cancer journeys.

"He’s had a tough year in terms of getting his body back playing. I think that moment of  him walking out with Linda and the kids, he doesn’t show much emotion and I don’t know him that well, but everyone I speak to says he hardly says a word, so to see that emotion pour our pre-game was something pretty special to see.

"I’m incredibly proud of him to be honest, so much happened for him this season and to be able to go back out there and do something that he loves is inspiring for all people, especially me."

On being grateful for his own return to football: 

"I get there really early, I go out to the oval before anyone gets there and it’s just an empty stadium with no noise, I walk around by myself for 10 minutes and just practice that gratitude I was speaking about earlier.

"To go out there to play a game that I love in front of crowds that I love and to just be in that stadium and be in that moment, I suggested that [Ben] do the same, and he texted me after the game saying it was something that will stick with him for a while as well. It’s just a moment of reflection about where you’ve been, where you are and where you’re going.

"Round 1 was amazing for me. I was so excited I got there three hours early: it almost calmed me down for about 20 minutes, being able to walk around the ground, feel the oval, feel the conditions and be grateful to do what I get to do."

On the Collingwood game: 

"For me personally, I’m pretty excited - through the perspective that I’ve had - to be able to play in these games that actually matter in Round 23 of the season against a big club on a big occasion, furthermore with the the Richard Pratt Cup: it’s a big moment in time.

"This is what we’ve been training for for the last 12 months under 'Vossy' and some guys for their whole career. I haven’t played finals in my whole career so it’s going to be a big contest on the weekend and I’m pretty bloody excited about it."