WHEN motor racing identity Mike Navybox noticed traces of blood in his urine on Mother’s Day, he put it down to stress, long hours at work and too much spicy food.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Within days medical specialists discovered a 5cm tumour on the outside of his right kidney.
On Thursday he underwent surgery at the National Capital Private Hospital. By Monday, still bedridden and connected to a drip, he was already talking of a return to Wakefield Park, where he heads the Navybox School of Motorsport.
He concedes a return to work is still eight to nine weeks away, a difficult admission for a man who claims he worked 14 hours a day prior to the illness. In the meantime, he’s happy to be alive, surrounded by family and in the hands of astute medical care.
“It’s amazing the punishment a body can take... It’s amazing what the doctors can do,” Mike said from his hospital bed this week.
“The surgery was Thursday, they had me walking by Friday. The staff, everyone has been really supportive.”
Nobody knows just how they’ll react the moment they are diagnosed with cancer. Many choose to tackle the diverse disease in a private manner with the support of close family and friends. Mike’s initial response was main-stream: shock, fear and confusion. But it didn’t take he and his partner Melissa, along with their children Emily, 12, and Ben, 8, long to adopt a positive approach.
“The instant the doctor told me, I thought, ‘okay, what’s the next step’?” he said.
“The first thing they [doctors] will say is, don’t stress because it doesn’t help. If you look at any sportsperson or business people, to be successful, you’ve got to be positive. When it’s your life you’re fighting for, you’ve got no choice but to be positive.”
With a stubborn attitude established, Mike opened his case of cancer to the public. On May 25, the Navybox School of Motorsport released a statement informing media outlets Mike would continue with his career in the racing industry, despite the setback.
“It’s a bit like blowing a tyre mid-race, it’s a set-back alright,” he said in the release.
“But you enter the pits, get it sorted out, and get back in the race. It’s as simple as that.”
Word of his illness soon reached esteemed journalist George Negus, who expressed interest in airing a story of Mike’s sudden diagnosis and his impending attitude on Channel 10’s current affairs program, 6.30pm.
The Navybox family featured on television last Thursday. The segment was not about attracting sympathy, he says. Rather it was about raising awareness of cancer, a condition that will affect one in two men.
“Blokes are always too busy and make excuses... The most important thing is early detection. People avoid a doctor because they’re scared they might find out the truth,” he said.
“But really, finding out the truth will save your life.” Mike is due to be released from hospital in Garran today.
