After surviving Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2003, Daniel Jernazian turned his expertise right into a mission of hope, serving as a Make-A-Want Australia ambassador from 2003 to 2015 and turning into the group’s first commemorated Younger Ambassador in 2010. He made historical past in 2005 as the one Australian want recipient to fulfill basketball legend Michael Jordan and later volunteered alongside Shane Heal and Brett Brown to assist Australia’s nationwide basketball crew in the course of the 2010 FIBA event.
A two-time most cancers survivor — having additionally overcome thyroid most cancers in 2021 — Jernazian credit his sports activities mentality for shaping his resilience.
“Basketball was every part to me rising up,” he mentioned. “I name beating most cancers a ‘life World Championship.’ For me, I’m a two-time life World Champion.”
Jernazian has appeared on nationwide media together with, “The Right this moment Present,” and collaborated with sports activities icons like Andrew Gaze to boost consciousness for kids with essential sickness. In 2025, he launched his memoir, “I Made Most cancers Cry Twice.”
Transcript
You’ve got labored alongside sports activities legends and raised important consciousness for kids with essential sickness. How did your ardour for sports activities play a task in your survivorship?
I used to be at all times into sports activities, particularly as a child. Basketball was one of many principal sports activities I performed on a regular basis, together with others at college. Over time, I performed for various groups—largely basketball. I feel having that sports activities mentality of not giving up, being aggressive, and saying to your self, “I’m not going to surrender, I’m not going to lose,” actually helps. Similar to in sports activities — you will be down by 20 factors, 50 factors, or only one — it doesn’t matter. It’s about having the mindset that you could get via it.
You’re going to do your finest, and naturally, having an amazing assist system like your loved ones helps. Within the dynamic of a crew, you’ve received your teammates — your mates — and also you’re all battling collectively. It’s that mindset that you simply’re all in it collectively. You’re your individual military if you need to be, and also you’re going to undergo every part, it doesn’t matter what, and never hand over.
I feel it’s that aggressive drive. It’s identical to successful a championship. I truly name beating most cancers a “life World Championship” — that’s what I name it, a life world title. For me, I really feel like I’m a two-time life World Champion. That’s how I see it. It’s actually about not giving up and seeing your self as a champion.
Transcript has been edited for readability and conciseness.
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