In March Kiwi basketball star Alex Pledger revealed he had been diagnosed with colorectal cancer.
Since then he's completed five weeks of gruelling chemotherapy and radiation treatment to shrink a substantial tumour - and bounced back just in time to marry his long-time love and get back to the gym ahead of his return to the court in a few days' time.
He spoke to senior Herald journalist Anna Leask about his journey, ahead of the next chapter in August - a major surgery that will change his life forever.
It's been a week of milestones for Alex Pledger.
Last Tuesday, the 2.15m former Tall Black married his partner and best mate, Bailee, in front of close family and friends at a Central Otago winery.
This Tuesday, Pledger pulled his trainers on and headed off to practise with the rest of his ILT Southland Sharks team.
He's aiming to be back on court when the Sharks take on the Canterbury Rams in Invercargill on July 15.
For someone recovering from an intensive regime of chemotherapy and exhausting radiation ahead of a surgery that may change the way his body works forever, it's a big goal.
But Pledger's here for it - he's ready and doing everything in his power to be able.
"Did some of the non-contact stuff at practice today … felt good to run around a bit, got a nasty case of #BabyLegs right now tho," Pledger tweeted after his first foray back into team training.
The Blenheim-raised athlete told the Herald he was excited - but also nervous - about his first game back for the franchise where he's racked up 72 games.
"It might take a couple of weeks before I'm ready to play a bit as I haven't trained in a while," he said.
"But I am confident I'll be able to get on court before the season is over."
His first few days of training had been low key but he was hoping to do more as he became stronger.
"It's been pretty light," he said.
"The last thing I want to do with surgery being just over a month away is to rush back and get injured.
"So I'm building it up day by day."
The NBL has also granted an exemption for Pledger to participate in the playoffs if his team make it through.
Although the rules require players to have a certain level of court time during the tournament, they have made an exception for Pledger.
"First he's got to go on and see what he can do on the 15th," said his wife.
Lifesaving surgery - newlyweds ready for next phase
Next month the 34-year-old will undergo a procedure called a low anterior resection to remove the tumour.
At the same time, the surgeon will perform a temporary ileostomy, making an opening, called a stoma, that creates a pathway from the lowest part of Pledger's small intestine to the outside of his abdomen to help solid waste and gas exit his body without passing through the colon or rectum.
They will then give him a few months to heal and decide whether they reconnect his organs or create a permanent stoma through a colostomy.
That decision will come down to how well he heals and how much viable tissue and muscle is present.
If there is not enough, he will have the stoma for life and will have to change a disposable bag several times a day.
Pledger is positive about either outcome.
He - and his new bride - will take anything that will keep him alive.
They want a family, they want a future and the man who played 70 times for the New Zealand's national team and notched nine seasons with the Breakers has much to do on the court too.
"I'm a little nervous if I'm honest," he admitted.
"Pretty much every surgery I've had has been sport or injury-related.
"While the cancer was discovered at an early stage, I've never had surgery that you would consider life-saving, so naturally I am a little nervous.
"But the surgeon performing the operation has an amazing reputation with the specific cancer I have, so I have 100 per cent faith and confidence that he will do a great job."
Wedding invitation sent hours before diagnosis revealed
Wilson-Pledger, a social media producer and online content creator, will never forget the day her now-husband was diagnosed.
The couple became engaged two years ago while living in Melbourne, where Pledger was playing for Melbourne United.
When Covid-19 hit and after enduring the massive Melbourne lockdown, the couple packed up and moved Christchurch, where Wilson-Pledger's family live.
Not long after, they headed to Invercargill when Pledger rejoined the ILT Southland Sharks.
The day of the diagnosis, Wilson-Pledger sent off the wedding invitations - never imagining her whole world was about to be shattered.
In the months that followed Pledger completed five weeks of Monday-to-Friday radiation at Dunedin Hospital and daily chemotherapy in tablet form.
It was physically harrowing for him, and left her emotionally bereft at times.
But, helped and supported by family, friends, medical staff and people they met going through the same cancer journey, they made it through stronger than ever and very ready to walk down the aisle.
The wedding was small but perfect for the couple.
Pledger felt "better than before the diagnosis" and surrounded by their closest friends and family and beloved dog, Boris, they sealed their union at Gibbston Valley Winery.
A women's magazine captured the special moments, the glitz, the glamour but away from all the fanfare and frenzy all Wilson-Pledger cared about was making sure her man had the best day possible.
"I wanted people to look at him and think 'wow'," she said.
"I got everything I wanted out of the day."
The wedding date was set when he was diagnosed but nothing was planned so Wilson-Pledger had to work overtime to get everything ready.
"I organised the wedding in 100 days," she said, laughing.
"Afterwards, we were exhausted ... The last two years have been chaotic, and we'd only been back in the country for a few months when Alex was told he had cancer."
Pledger's doctors knew about the impending nuptials and came up with a plan for the first stage of his treatment - chemotherapy tablets and radiation five days a week for five weeks - that would finish leaving him time to recover for the big day.
"We were three weeks post-treatment when we got married," Wilson-Pledger said.
"To be fair, the treatment has knocked Alex way more than the actual tumour - he was sweet for the first three weeks, he was a little bit tired but he was fine.
"The fourth week he was sleeping 20 hours a day … the chemo tablets made him a little bit nauseous but the added pressure of the radiation, he was really not okay.
"Alex didn't leave the house for two weeks, he didn't go out the front door, he couldn't come to the supermarket with me, he couldn't even go for a drive.
"But now he seems to be fine - he's got to get fit and healthy before his surgery."
A huge life adjustment but "it's all about mindset"
There's no plan for Pledger to give up the sport he loves - other than to recover and rebuild his body.
With or without the stoma, he will still be able to train and play as he is now, just with a few life adjustments.
"He will be absolutely fine - they've had rugby players return to the field; you can swim with them," said Wilson-Pledger.
"Yes it's a life adjustment but he'll just get on with it.
"From day one we've been getting really comfortable with the idea of a stoma - we've done lots of reading and talked to people who have them.
"Alex said to me 'if we end up with a stoma, we end up with a stoma but at least I get to survive, it's not the end of the world'.
"So that has been his mindset, and anything better than a stoma is a bonus."
The couple feel incredibly lucky his cancer was picked up when it was, and that it has not spread.
"It hasn't gone to the lymph nodes, it's nowhere else, it's just there," said Wilson-Pledger.
"Apparently he's had it for about five years - he's played with it, he's won championships
with it.
"But when the diagnoses came it made sense to those of us who know Alex … he used to be extremely lethargic and once a year he would just get so tired and it took him ages to recover from it."
Wilson-Pledger said the athlete's health and fitness masked many of the symptoms and it was only when they started becoming intense that he went to the doctor.
"Guys his age don't get told to have colonoscopies - and he was healthy, fit," she said.
"If it wasn't for the fact that his doctor took a second and a third look that day he'd probably be on a waiting list for a colonoscopy and the cancer could be spreading.
"This could have been a million times worse … If we were somewhere else, if our situation was different …
"That extra five minutes that day the doctor took to do a third check was incredible.
"He said 'I'm just going to check one last thing, it's the last thing I would ever check for, but I'd like to tick it off the list'.
"And in that particular examination, he actually felt the tumour."
The doctor confirmed soon after what Pledger was facing.
He told the young couple that when had he felt the tumour he "went cold".
"When all is said and done I want to come back and throw a huge party for the doctors and nurses and just remind them that they have saved a life," said Wilson-Pledger.
"They also saved my life - all of my hopes and dreams and happiness and my future came down to that moment when that doctor triple checked."
From the aisle to the court - Pledger's return to sport
Pledger wanted to be back on court this weekend but after the wedding, he decided to ease in a bit slower.
"He's been saying he wants to get on, even it's just for one minute," his wife said.
"He said 'if I get on I want to do a really good job'.
"We were going to try for this week but he's a little bit scared of not having enough training and injuring himself and having that to deal with as well as cancer.
"If we leave it a couple more games, he gets that time to get back in sync with the team."
Since his diagnosis, Pledger has been in close contact with his coach, Rob Beveridge, who has been working hard with him on his health, fitness and nutrition.
Pledger has lost a fair whack of weight during the cancer treatment so a crucial part of the comeback plan is to bulk him up again.
"I worry about him." said Wilson-Pledger.
"But he's a really good patient, a really good healer and he gives his body the time it needs.
"I'm immensely proud of him - I feel like I was proud of him anyway but through this … he has just stared it down and got it done.
"I'm proud of him for handling something I wouldn't wish on anyone, with no complaints.
"He's been so methodical and meticulous and I think that comes from being a sportsman - but also he's been babysitting everyone's emotions and fears about him being sick, making sure his friends and family are all up to date and okay.
"He's been really tough … he just takes it all on the chin, but he did admit to me that he was terrified on the inside but he didn't want to scare me or his mum.
"He sat in silence and just faced it."
The couple said the journey had been "life-changing" and made them appreciate each other more, as well as their families, friends, careers and opportunities.
"There is this quote that says 'it's a privilege to get old' and we just feel that right now," said Wilson-Pledger.
"We have had some incredible people helping us … helping us make this really horrible journey so much easier.
Pledger was pragmatic about his health but refused to be anything less than optimistic.
"Although it's obviously a tough situation to be in, my long-term prognosis is very positive so I have a lot to feel positive about," he said.
"The best advice I can give to others facing difficult health journeys is to lean on family and friends and try to remain as positive as possible no matter what challenge you face. You will have good days and bad days but your attitude and mindset are some of the biggest weapons you have against whatever challenge you are facing."
Health is wealth - couple urge 'check your sh*t'
The couple are also keen to encourage others, especially men, to take their health seriously.
Wilson-Pledger, whose father also died from cancer, has been vocal on social media about her husband's diagnosis and what that entails, the symptoms and the future.
That has included discussions about things she never envisioned.
"No one likes to talk about their butts, no one likes to talk about their poo - but we have to," she said.
"I'm telling people to literally 'check your sh*t' and it's been uncomfortable but it's far more comfortable than dying …
"No one actually enjoys the checking procedures but it's so small considering what you could have to go through.
"Surely you'd rather have this awkward conversation with someone than be picking out your casket?
"I know I'd rather talk about what your poo should look like than saying 'I'll miss you'."
Colorectal cancer - the hard facts
Bowel cancer is a malignant growth that develops inside the bowel and can also be called colon, rectal or colorectal cancer.
Bowel cancer is the second-highest cause of cancer death in New Zealand, but it can be treated successfully if it is detected and treated early.
New Zealand has one of the highest bowel cancer rates in the world.
Bowel cancer is the second-highest cause of cancer death in New Zealand.
Common signs and symptoms of bowel cancer may include:
• A change in your normal pattern of going to the toilet that continues for several weeks (such as diarrhoea, constipation, or feeling that your bowel doesn't empty completely
• Blood in your bowel motion.
Although these symptoms are often caused by other conditions, it is important to get them checked by your doctor.
People who are diagnosed with bowel cancer, and receive treatment when it is at an early stage, have a 90 per cent chance of long term survival.
If there is a delay in diagnosis and treatment, and the cancer may become more advanced, it is harder to cure.
For more information contact your GP or click here to find out more from the Ministry of Health.
