The incredible footballer who fought off cancer to return to the Premier League

An international and Premier League footballer who beat cancer has spoken about his experience for the first time - as he returns to the top flight.

David Brooks, 25, was diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma in October 2021 just weeks after scoring a goal in a Euros match against Croatia. Despite eating four meals a day, David struggled to play or put on any weight before his diagnosis - but has since made a comeback with AFC Bournemouth.

The Cherries' midfielder spent 18-months going through intensive treatment after his stage 2 Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis in October 2021. Now he is supporting Race for Life in their efforts to fundraise for cancer research and treatment that saved his life.

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David, from Warrington, was described as one of the 'brightest talents' in the Premier League just before he was diagnosed, reports CheshireLive. He said: “I remember at the Euros in the summer of 2021, I wasn’t starting or playing and despite eating three or four meals a day I wasn’t putting on any weight.

“Then I found I just couldn’t get my legs to take me where they needed to go. It was really frustrating because at that point, I didn’t know there was anything wrong.

“I went away to play with Wales and they do a medical check at the start of international duty and I explained to the doctor that I’d been struggling to sleep and had experienced some night sweats as well as a sudden drop in weight. Twenty minutes later he came to my room and said, ‘I don’t want to alarm you but everything you have described to me is a symptom of cancer.’

“It was a big one to try to digest and knowing you had to ring your mum and dad and tell them something so big when you still