![\"Sam](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/711b0a7e-c787-4e96-bf5b-76736a05b02a.jpg\")
\n Docherty was at the peak of his power as an athlete when, by chance, he noticed something amiss. (Dan Himbrechts\/AAP PHOTOS)<\/p>\n
Sam Docherty was at the height of his AFL career when a small lump out of place threatened to derail it all.<\/p>\n
The then Carlton co-captain made the accidental discovery at a Gold Coast hotel in late 2020.<\/p>\n
“I was feeling around, as you do as a bloke, and noticed that there was a hard bit above my testicle,” the 2017 All-Australian half-back told AAP.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n Docherty was at the peak of his power as an athlete when, by chance, he noticed something amiss. (Dan Himbrechts\/AAP PHOTOS)<\/p>\n
Two weeks later, the otherwise healthy then 27-year-old found himself on the operating table awaiting surgery for stage two testicular cancer.<\/p>\n
“It was a pretty crazy turn of events,” he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“You hear the word ‘cancer’ and you just think: ‘I’m in a world of hurt’.”<\/p>\n
An estimated 1040 Australians were diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2025, with nearly 40 people dying from the illness that year.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It is the most common form of cancer for men aged under 40, with an estimated average diagnosis age of 36.<\/p>\n
While highly treatable when caught early, it can pose significant health risks if allowed to spread.<\/p>\n
![\"Sam](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/205844dd-9d0f-4681-b16c-97279b241e49.jpg\")
\n Docherty was almost a decade younger than the typical testicular cancer patient. (James Ross\/AAP PHOTOS)<\/p>\n
“When testicular cancer is caught early, surgery alone is usually enough to treat it,” says genitourinary oncology specialist Dr Weranja Ranasinghe.<\/p>\n
“However, if the cancer has spread beyond the testicle, it can travel to other parts of the body.<\/p>\n
“That means treatment becomes more prolonged and often involves chemotherapy.”<\/p>\n
In Docherty’s case, the cancer had already spread to the epididymis – the coiled tube above the testicles – by the time it was identified.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Though he underwent surgery immediately, testing revealed it had spread throughout his body within a year of the operation.\u00a0<\/p>\n
That prompted him to undergo four, five-day rounds of chemotherapy, an experience he likened to feeling hungover without relief for days at a time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
![\"Professor](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/94024458-6c55-44e0-b9e4-5e87427f1ce1.jpg\")
\n Caught early, testicular cancer can be treated with surgery, says Professor Weranja Ranasinghe. (James Ross\/AAP PHOTOS)<\/p>\n
Against the odds, the Blues favourite returned to the field within months of finishing his final round of chemo in November 2021.<\/p>\n
“I ran on for round one and had almost my best year of footy after that,” Docherty said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“It was a pretty crazy experience.”<\/p>\n
April is testicular cancer awareness month, designed to encourage young men to spare two minutes in the shower for regular self-checks.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This involves checking for lumps, swelling, pain or hardness on the testicles with a thumb and forefinger.<\/p>\n
It is best done regularly and after a warm bath or shower.<\/p>\n
![\"Sam](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ca230f27-d478-494d-9bfe-3ac08a2819d0.jpg\")
\n Docherty managed to play some of his best footy post-treatment. (Rob Prezioso\/AAP PHOTOS)<\/p>\n
“There’s nothing overly comfortable about getting checked but the earlier you catch these things, the more treatable it becomes,” Docherty said.<\/p>\n
“The most uncomfortable news you could get is that it’s too late.”<\/p>\n
Since retiring from the AFL in 2025 after notching 184 games, Docherty has continued to advocate for cancer awareness and serves on the board of the Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation.<\/p>\n