NZ cricket legend Chris Cairns, recovering from a near-fatal heart attack suffered last year, has been diagnosed with bowel cancer.
Cairns, 51, made the announcement on his Instagram account after a routine check-up.
"As far as weeks go, I thought that Tom Brady retiring was going to be the low point this week… but as it turned out, TB12’s retirement comes a distant second," Cairns posts.
"I was told yesterday I have bowel cancer… big shock and not what I was expecting, after what was supposed to be a routine check-up."
Cairns is trying to remain positive and says he's "lucky" to be alive.
"As I prepare for another round of conversations with surgeons and specialists, I keep remembering how lucky I am to be here in the first place… and how blessed I am to have all that I do in my life," he says. "Wasn’t all bad this week either, managed to get in some kids sport and celebrate Noah’s birthday at home.
Cairns was on the road to recovery from paralysis, resulting from major heart surgery and a subsequent spinal stroke in August.
After being on full life support for more than a week, the veteran of 62 tests and more than 200 one-day internationals was taken off life support in late August.
"I'm pleased to advise that Chris is off life support and has been able to communicate with his family from hospital in Sydney," a statement said.
"He and his family are thankful for all of the support and well wishes from everyone, and for the privacy they have been afforded. They request that this continues, as they focus on his recovery moving forward."
In October, he provided a positive update on social media, describing what he calls "flickering" in an ankle - the first response he had felt in his legs since surgery.
"Best for last… drum roll… my right ankle is flickering," Cairns said. "Super stoked about that.
"Toes are the furthest point from the brain and messages are slowly making their way down to them. A fair bit to go - but these days, I'm all about celebrating the small wins."
The positive news kept coming for Cairns, when stood up unaided for the first time in a hydrotherapy pool in his "best day of rehab yet".
Attempting to rebuild the strength in his paralysed legs, Cairns described the experience as "the most free I've ever felt".
"Best day of rehab yet," Cairns wrote on Twitter. "First time using the hydrotherapy pool, first time standing unaided and to walk/float my way up the pool!
"Man! I've heard freedom is the oxygen of the soul… being able to swim and kick my legs today was the most free I've ever felt."
Cairns was named as one of five Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 2000 and is the son of former New Zealand all-rounder Lance Cairns.
Cairns has the seventh-most sixes in test cricket history, behind Brendon McCullum, Adam Gilchrist, Chris Gayle, Virender Sehwag and Brian Lara.
The New Zealander sits among some the games greats to record 1000 runs/100 wickets in tests, alongside West Indian legend Sir Garfield Sobers, Jacques Kallis, Imran Khan, Sir Ian Botham, and New Zealand greats Sir Richard Hadlee and Daniel Vettori.
