Footballer battling cancer for second time begins treatment

A footballer battling cancer for the second time has shared a photo of himself in hospital as he begins his fight – prompting support from well-wishers.

Rochdale midfielder Joe Thompson, 28, beat nodular sclerosis Hodgkin lymphoma after six months of chemotherapy in 2014 – but in March this year he received the devastating news the cancer had returned.

Joe, a former Manchester United youth player, tweeted a picture of himself in hospital with the message: ‘Little update. First day of the stem cell harvest process! Docs are very surprised with how good my blood counts are! Heart is super fit’.

He has seen a flurry of support from followers and the player insists he will once again defeat the disease.

In a statement released following his diagnosis in March, he said: “The support shown to me since I discovered my illness has been immense.“I would like to thank my wife, Chantelle, who was my rock in my first encounter, and will once again be by my side.”