Minnesota Wild Prospect Speaks on Beating Cancer
Minnesota selected Pavel Novak in the fifth round of the 2020 draft. Minnesota Wild prospect Pavel Novak says he's beaten cancer. "After a few months of troubles, I'm happy to share with you that I beat cancer. There is no better feeling than to be healthy again," Novak wrote in a social media post
«I was sweating a lot and always sleeping,» the Minnesota Wild prospect remembers.
Novak spoke with ''The Athletic'' about his struggles, and final outcome after his battle with cancer:
Ten days after Novak underwent a biopsy, he was driving home with his parents, Pavel Sr., and Pavlina, from Kladno, Czechia, where he was attending school at 1.KSPA.
He received a call..
«It was an unknown number, so I had a feeling it was the doctor and was pretty nervous,» Novak says. «It was, and he told me I had cancer.»
«You know something is wrong because the people next to you don't have hair,» Novak says, speaking over the phone from his home in Veseli nad Luznici, Czechia. «So I was doing the same appointments as people with cancer, so you start to realize something is not going very well. I was afraid I would hear the same news.»
Novak was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma, an aggressive but very treatable cancer that affects the lymphatic system and can spread quickly through the body.
«The same cancer Mario Lemieux had,» Novak says. «The doctor was pretty happy because he told me this is one of the best cancers to have and it could be a lot worse cancers, and that there was more than a 90 percent chance that everything's going to be OK.
«He basically said it's not really a big problem, but it is a big problem. My parents were upset but strong. I was actually pretty happy, not that I had cancer, but that I finally had an answer as to finally what was wrong with me and what's going to happen. It was a long four weeks. Lots of appointments and not knowing what was going on.»
«It would have been tough for me. I needed my parents,» Novak says. «But the Wild called me right away. I had a call with Matt Hendricks, (director of player development) Brad (Bombardir) and (general manager) Bill Guerin, and they told me, �It's OK. Don't worry about hockey. We'll wait for you and you'll play for us one day.' It was amazing for me to hear. It was a big relief.»
«You're not feeling very good after that,» Novak says. «Your stomach is really upset. You feel like you are going to throw up all the time, but you do not throw up. So, really weird. It almost feels like after a hard workout or hard practice or hard bike ride, where you feel like you're going to throw up.
«My parents were really strong,» says Novak of his dad, who owns a drywall company, and his mom, who manages a grocery store. «But it had to be very tough for them, especially when your 20-year-old is told he has cancer. You never expect that. But it's part of life. They looked to me very strong, but I'm sure when I wasn't home they were talking about it a lot.»
Earlier this month, Novak got those results.
«My doctor and the nurses were smiling wide, so it was the first time I realized they're about to tell me good news,» Novak says. «My doctor looked at me and said, �You're cancer-free. Everything is all right.' I was so happy. Everything was finally different. I will remember that day probably for the rest of my life.»
But, Novak adds, «I expected it. During treatment, I felt the whole time, �I'm getting better. I'm getting better.' For my parents, they were crying. It was a really nice moment for them.»
«I beat it, I did it. «
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