EBEL: KAC captain dropped out due to tumor months

On the occasion of his forthcoming comeback, KAC captain Manuel Geier explains in an open letter that a tumour was responsible for its long failure in the current EBEL season.

On Friday, for the first time in this season, Geier will be on the ice for the Klagenfurt team at the away game in Bolzano. Why the 29-year-old was not available for months on end has so far been kept secret. Geier now describes the dramatic reasons and the difficult past months.

Dear KAC fans,

I am very happy to finally be able to return to the lineup on Friday evening. The months in the stands were not easy, so it is even nicer to be part of a functioning and successful team on the ice.

The reasons why I can only start the 2017/18 season at the beginning of December were medical, details about my illness were deliberately not communicated. Now that I am able to stand healthy on the ice again, I would like to comment on the past few months in consultation with EC-KAC.

In June I suffered a hernia during the summer training. During the preliminary examinations for the due operation – almost coincidentally – an irregular adhesion was discovered on one of my internal organs. After extensive further investigations it turned out that this was a nearly tennis-ball sized tumour, which was unfortunately also classified as malignant. I was diagnosed with this carcinoma a few days later, on the 3rd day. In July 2017, in the Department of Urology at the Klagenfurt Clinic, before my hernia was corrected a few weeks later.

I don’t want to conceal the fact that the diagnosis was a shocking one at first, but to be honest, I was – not least because of the great support of my family, friends, fellow players, coaches and the Altis Humanomed team during the rehab session – very positive again soon. In the weeks and months that followed, I was inspired by the idea and objective of getting well as soon as possible and returning to the ice.

On Friday, almost exactly five months after the operation, I play my first EC-KAC season game. With the brief description of the course of the last few months, I don’t want to cause any sensation, I don’t want to catch sympathy, but rather I want to give you all two important insights from this time on the way.

Firstly, regular check-ups, even if they are unpleasant. My tumor was detected almost by chance, I was very lucky. Don’t challenge yours.

Secondly, let your everyday life and life be governed by optimism. The same applies to unpleasant medical diagnoses as in difficult situations on the ice: Do not give up, but fight.

Coupled with the gratitude for the support and encouragement of many people over the past few months, I am pleased to say: I am back, back on the ice. Gemma!

Your Manuel Vulture