The Commonwealth Games swimmer who might not see 40

Archie Goodburn’s life was changed by a phone call a year ago.

The Scottish 50-meter runner-up had a dream about competing in the Paris Olympics, but his training had been hampered by some unusual circumstances.

Seizures . On his left side, he feels numb. a sense of deja vu.

He had tests, and the results of his scan were due. His phone displayed a missed call from an unknown number when he walked out of his most recent session in Edinburgh’s Commonwealth pool. He returned the call. The following news was devastating.

Goodburn says this month at the family home in the capital, “It was a pretty unlikely time to get a call.”

“I actually contacted my mother first to see if she had heard anything.” She claimed she had gotten in touch with the doctors, but she was unable to contact them.

When I sat down at the edge of the pool, which I’ve trained in my entire life, to discover there is a brain tumor, I’ll never forget.

Goodburn was informed that he had brain cancer. He was 22 years old.

It causes the most cancer deaths in children under the age of 40.

Three “low grade” tumours were discovered after extensive investigation, including biopsy surgery. Given how quickly they had spread through his brain, they are inoperable and impossible to remove.

When an athlete in their best physical condition suddenly has to accept their own mortality, it seems particularly poignant.

There are some potential improvements afoot, but it’s just whether or not they will be made soon enough to assist people like me who may not see their 40s.

The prognosis, according to Goodburn neurosurgeon Imran Liaquat, can range from three to twenty years. Some people live longer. Many don’t, too. There is no cure for false predictions, and there is no cure for false predictions.

The Astro Brain Fund charity claims that brain cancer is the most fatal of all the years lost, but its research only accounts for 1% of the national budget for cancer research since records began.

That is unacceptable to Goodburn. The young Scot is driven, too, by the upcoming battles that will come.

He is also determined to raise awareness of brain cancer and its effects on young people by continuing his training for the World University Games this summer and looking forward to the Commonwealths in Glasgow the following summer.

He is painfully aware that he is one of the few people who have the least time.

He explains, “I’m in the fortunate position where I haven’t been diagnosed with glioblastoma.” I don’t have 12 to 16 months. I’m probably going to have much longer.

“Many people are diagnosed with brain cancer for nowhere near as long. They won’t want to devote any of their time to raising awareness. They want to live each day and make the most of every hour.

Every cheek dries as Goodburn shares his perspective on what he and many others face every day.

He states, “I see the future in different ways and at different times.

There are times when I wake up feeling optimistic and optimistic about the future. My eyes are open throughout and I can recall having brain cancer. My life has reached its climax, which is much earlier than it should have.

This extraordinary young man is relying on the support of his family and friends as he pursues his career as an elite swimmer while campaigning for more funding and raising awareness.

Given that he won silver at the British Championships in April, he will be the clear favorite to defend the Scottish 50m breaststroke crown, which can be watched live on the BBC Sport website, app, and iPlayer, this weekend.

Goodburn may now have to consider more potent forms of treatment, such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy, options he has managed to postpone so far, which is challenging.

He declares, “I want to continue as long as I can and attend the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.”

I can live a fairly normal life right now, but that doesn’t mean it won’t last forever.

Long-time coach Mat Trodden is watching Goodburn train at The Pleasance alongside Katie, her sister, and fellow Commonwealth hopeful Katie.

He is unable to comprehend how his protege is still getting results from both training and competition. He won the Scottish title within a month of his first procedure. And he set a new record for the fastest course in the world at the end of last year.

Goodburn is not resting there, though. He allows himself to have dreams while facing all the challenging challenges that life has brought him.

He says, “I’m dreaming of bettering myself.” A diagnosis like this undermines the idea that you can improve. We view cancer as a downhill, slippery slope, and in some ways, it is.

However, I have a dream that I’ve done something better than I did the last time I attempted it. When a lot of other things start to ignite the fire in me, that causes a wee fire in me.

My greatest dream is to perform a personal best post-diagnosis. It would be a lot of work to represent Scotland at the Commonwealth Games. Fingers crossed that the upcoming Olympics are possible.

“There are many things that are beyond my control,” I said. I’ll just keep going with this and remain Archie as long as I can.