Linfield defender Ross Larkin admits he doesn't know if he will ever play football again following a life-threatening brain tumour.
The 23-year-old's life was turned upside down following his cancer diagnosis in December 2021.
At the time Larkin's club Linfield issued a statement saying the he was in hospital for a "procedure".
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Larkin, from Newry in Co Down, admits he is lucky to be alive following the discovery of the tumour 15 months ago.
But he hopes to make a full recovery after undergoing surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
"Thank God I had that surgery and it was successful," Larkin told the BBC.
"I'd had no symptoms whatsoever and next thing I'm admitted to hospital for a brain tumour. I just couldn't believe it.
"My family couldn't believe it. It was hard to take."
Larkin started feeling unwell during his graduation ceremony after completing a degree in business management from Queen's University Belfast.
He lost peripheral vision and was taken to hospital where the initial prognosis was that he had suffered a stroke.
But further examination and scans discovered Larkin had a grade-three oligodendroglioma tumour.
Initially it was feared the tumour was untreatable, but he underwent surgery on Christmas Eve before embarking on a course of daily radiotherapy and then chemotherapy.
The defender said: "I felt a pressure at the side of my eye - I lost peripheral vision. It's such a rare disease and for it to happen to me was just hard to take.
"But I got through it and am stronger for it now. I feel so thankful to everyone for being so good to me."
It remains unclear whether Larkin will be able to play football again, but remarkably he is currently training for the Belfast City Marathon on April 30.
He is also hoping to raise money for Brainwaves NI charity.
"I'm not sure (if I will play again)," he added.
"I've talked to the doctors and the brain surgeons. They're not recommending it fully.
"But I'm personally not giving up on it. I'll see how I am, maybe in a year's time and reassess. I'm doing the Belfast marathon and I want to focus on this at the moment and after the marathon I'll sit down and I'll see where I am."
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