“You must always maintain a positive attitude”: the former leader of the youth hockey team Amirov was diagnosed with a brain tumor

Rodion Amirov is one of the most talented students of the Ufa hockey school, as well as the leader of the Russian youth team of the last season.

At the Karjala Cup 2020, where the youth team was announced instead of the main national team, the young forward scored goals in three matches in a row, subsequently receiving the title of the best striker of the tournament.

At the World Youth Championships, he was also one of the most notable players, chalking up two goals and four assists.

In the first round of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, the budding forward was selected by the Canadian Toronto Maple Leafs.

Before moving overseas, Amirov stayed for one season in the KHL to gain experience.

And on February 23, the official website of the National Hockey League, citing the general manager of Toronto, Kyle Dubas, announced a serious illness of the Russian.

“I regret to inform our fans that Rodion Amirov has been diagnosed with a brain tumor.

Rodion started the 2021/22 season as part of Salavat Ufa in the KHL, but missed its start due to injury.

During the recovery process, the athlete developed new, unrelated symptoms that required extended examinations in the past few months.

Rodion is currently undergoing treatment at a medical facility in Germany and will not return to play until the end of the season.

Collarbone injury and concussion from hitting the side, which forced him to go to Germany for treatment, the hockey player received on September 29 during a match against Avtomobilist.

It took the athlete nine weeks to recover, and then he returned to the ice and played several matches in the KHL championship.

At this time, German doctors asked the hockey player to return for an in-depth examination, as some of his indicators alerted them.

However, the attacker felt good, and the active spread of the omicron coronavirus strain made it difficult to travel abroad.

But after the next match, which took place on January 3, Amirov felt dizzy and noticed a deterioration in vision.

Soon the hockey player arrived in Germany, and on January 28 he received a serious diagnosis.

Despite this, the athlete tries not only not to lose heart, but also to set a positive example for others.

He emphasizes that there are many people in the world with a variety of diseases, and each of them needs to think positively.

“I strive to stay positive and want people to think positively of me.

Many people have their own diseases and ailments.

I want to show by personal example that I can give people hope.

They can follow what I do, and this, I hope, adds to their positive.

I think positively,” says Rodion.

He's already completed his first week of chemotherapy.

Some drugs cause nausea, but in general the athlete feels good.

And he doesn’t stop training for a day: three times a week he works on the ice and every day he works out in the gym.

“I live a normal life.

I continue to train, ride, go to the gym.

Doctors support me in this.

I practice throws, work on my hands, in fact, I do the same exercises as usual, only on my own, ”says the hockey player.

One of the main incentives for him is the opportunity to fulfill his dream and still play in the NHL.

“I need to feel like I can play in the best hockey league in the world.

And faith in God gives me strength and confidence that I will overcome everything, ”the athlete emphasizes.

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Publication from Rodion Amirov (@amirovrodya)

Amirov has many positive examples before his eyes, when athletes coped with similar diseases and successfully continued their careers.

One of them is Canadian snowboarder Max Parro, who was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma shortly after winning the silver medal at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics.

He survived 12 cycles of chemotherapy and defeated cancer, and won two medals at the Beijing Games - gold and bronze.

According to media reports, Rodion asked for Parro's contacts to contact him after the Olympics.

“Never give up.

All trials on the path of life are sent to us so that we overcome them.

You must always maintain a positive attitude, ”the hockey player is sure.

In Russia, the news of Amirov's illness was greeted with sympathy and readiness to provide comprehensive support.

Thus, the President of the Russian Hockey Federation Vladislav Tretiak wished the athlete a speedy recovery and promised to provide any assistance.

“On behalf of the FHR and on my own behalf, I wish Rodion Amirov to defeat the disease and start recovering as soon as possible.

The athlete's treatment is provided by the Toronto NHL club, we are in touch with the team.

Of course, the Russian Hockey Federation is ready to provide any assistance that is required, from finding and attracting doctors to participate in the treatment of Amirov to any necessary assistance to the athlete’s relatives and friends, ”Tretyak is quoted by TASS.

The former doctor of the Moscow "Spartak" Yuri Vasilkov found it difficult to answer whether Amirov would be able to return to hockey after an illness.

“The diagnosis is very serious, difficult.

I want to wish him patience, he will have a difficult treatment.

But I think that young age and effective treatment, which we have really developed, will help Amirov.

Now no one can say whether he will return to sports after treatment, ”the specialist noted.

A number of KHL clubs, including Salavat Yulaev and Dynamo Moscow, spoke out in social networks with words of support for Amirov.

A post on the Ufa team's official Instagram account, titled "Rodion, we are with you," garnered several hundred comments in just a couple of hours.

Amirov himself reads all the wishes and words of support, and this also adds to his positive emotions.

“Thank you all very much!” — wrote his comment hockey player.