Woonona man beats lymphoma, earns black belt 14 years after diagnosis
Trent Scanlen survived Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma and earned his black belt in jiu-jitsu 14 years after diagnosis.
A sore back led Trent Scanlen to an MRI that revealed a golf ball-sized tumour on his spine in June 2012. Radiologists flagged it immediately.
Three hours later the then 34-year-old was admitted to Wollongong Hospital in the cancer ward. A biopsy confirmed Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, not the sarcoma he initially feared.
Trent Scanlen underwent six rounds of radiation and chemotherapy, entering remission in December 2012. The treatment and recovery kept him away from jiu-jitsu for five years.
He had support from his close friend Dr Harry Weisinger, a physician who had beaten the same cancer years earlier. In mid-2026, on the 14th anniversary of his diagnosis, the now 49-year-old earned his black belt in jiu-jitsu.
- June 2012
- Diagnosis date
- 34 years old
- Age at diagnosis
- December 2012
- Remission achieved
- Five years
- Time away from jiu-jitsu
Why it mattersA serious cancer diagnosis can be overcome with treatment and determination, allowing people to return to the activities they love.
AustraliaAn Australian man's recovery from lymphoma shows that cancer survivors can achieve major life goals years after treatment.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 11 h ago
