A big thank you to Ian Nockolds, who heads up the Toolstation Western League podcast, for sharing this week’s transcript whilst we wait for local games to resume.

This week, Ian catches up with Portishead Town Captain, Nathan Trueman, and finds out how the 20-year-old, who was diagnosed with cancer just before Christmas, is raising thousands of pounds for charity and has inspired the Radstock Town team to get involved.

Ian Nockolds: Well, I’m delighted to welcome to the Toolstation Western League podcast, for the first time, Nathan Trueman, the Captain of Portishead town. Nathan, thank you very much for taking the time to speak to us. We’ve spoken about your situation on the podcast, previously, because I’d seen a social media post that Portishead had put up about your condition. I suppose the most important question to ask you at this time is how are you feeling at the moment?

Nathan Trueman: Yeah, thank you. And thanks for having me on here as well. Yeah, feeling really well, at the moment. Done my first cycle of chemo and yeah, at the start of it I felt really bad to be honest. But I’m feeling a lot better now and ready to start my second lot of chemo tomorrow.

IN: So what is the name of the condition that you’ve been diagnosed with?

NT: So I’ve got a sinovial sarcoma, which is on my shoulder, just around the armpit, that’s where I felt it. It’s a grade four and it’s very aggressive, but what the doctors have said it reacts very well to chemotherapy, which is a very good sign. So we’re hoping that the chemotherapy is going to shrink it and so then they can operate on it in the future.

IN: When did you first find out about the lump?

NT: So I first found out about it end of September, really, it was just before I was going on holiday, actually. That’s when I first found it and to be honest, like anyone would, I just ignored it. I didn’t really think anything of it, and left it a couple of weeks and told my mum, and she said, ’we need to get this checked out.’ But still, we never thought anything of it, even a couple of months down the line when they were doing tests, we still didn’t think anything of it. But obviously now we know, it’s very, very serious.

IN: How long was it between you presenting? Did you start at your GP and then taken off for tests?

NT: Yes, so I started with the GP in October, and he then referred me on to the doctors in Southmead. I’ve done many, many scans, they started with ultrasound, and went on to MRI and further scans. They wanted to get a bigger picture of it, and I kind of knew it was more serious as more scans and scans went on, even though they don’t tell you anything, but I knew it was getting more serious, until they give you the final diagnosis.

IN: And when did that diagnosis come?

NT: It came on December the 14th if I can remember.

IN: I mean you must have been devastated. It’s obviously a funny time for the country anyway because of the situation with the Coronavirus during the run-up to Christmas, but to receive news like that must have been very difficult for you.

NT: Oh, you can’t actually put it into words. It’s heartbreaking. I had my mother there with me and you can’t even describe it. As soon as you hear the word it’s really, yeah, it’s horrible. And when they first told me I couldn’t even speak for about twenty minutes, I just didn’t know, you just never think ... You see it all over TV and in the news, but you never think it’s going to happen to you. You think, ’I’m healthy, I’m 20, I’ve got a perfect life, lovely girlfriend, lovely life, lovely job, but you never think it’s going to happen to you. But as you see it can, it can happen to anyone, any age.

IN: So what is the treatment plan that the healthcare professionals have laid out for you? What’s your roadmap then to fighting this?

NT: Yeah, so what I’ve been told is, there’s four lots of chemotherapy, which I’ve done my first lot. In between those, they’ll be doing scans to check if it’s getting smaller in size, and it’s reacting well to it. If it’s all going to plan, it’s reacting well, it’s shrinking, it’s coming away from all the veins and the nerves and stuff. Then if they think it’s a suitable size, they will operate and they have shoulder specialists. They will be operating on it if they think it’s a suitable size to operate on, because that’s their reason for using chemotherapy because they want to shrink it to get it away from the vital nerves and things.

IN: And have they given you an idea, I mean, obviously you mentioned there four lots of chemotherapy. Have you got a timescale for when you might be able to go for the operation?

NT: Yes. So the chemotherapy, what I’m on is three full days with a day of resting after in hospital, with going home for two and a half weeks to rest. So I’ve done my first lot, second lot is tomorrow, my third lot is the middle of February, and my fourth lot will be maybe start or middle of March. So hopefully, if all goes to plan, chemotherapy will be finished by the end of March, and then they’ll start to have a look at when they can operate on it.

IN: I appreciate that there’s a long road ahead of you. Have you got ... you mentioned obviously, you are 20 years old, you are with the exception of obviously this condition in good physical health, how long will it take for you to overcome the physical scars of this and get back to some form of normal life?

NT: So this is a question I asked the physiotherapy which they have in Southmead and she said it could take whatever time, there’s not a limit on it. It just depends on how well I react to it, how well they operate on it and how quickly I can get back to fitness and the strength in my arm after it. So there isn’t a kind of specific time on how long it will last, but hopefully I can beat it and get back to well, normal life. That’s all I want for now, it’s just normal life, I’m not asking for anything else.

IN: And that normal life for you has always been part of Portishead Town Football Club. For the rest of the world we are waiting with bated breath to see when the Coronavirus restrictions will be lifted, but for you, how important is the opportunity to play for Portishead again, as part of your recovery?

NT: Oh, the first time I’ll be able to step back on a football pitch will be the most emotional for me. Portishead has been amazing. My whole life, well I’ve played for them since I was six years old. Obviously, I’ve had different stints at different clubs, but I’ve always had Portishead in my heart when I’m playing football. And the support they’ve given me during this has been just unbelievable. And everything they’ve set up and they set up the GoFundMe page and it’s truly been amazing. Yeah, I can’t wait to get back on that pitch and playing for them it will be the amazing, I can’t see myself really playing for anyone else.

IN: Well, we’re going to have a little chat about the GoFundMe page and also the efforts that Portishead have gone to to promote the situation that you find yourself in and to support you. The elephant in the room at the moment is obviously the Coronavirus now, we hear about the pressure daily on the NHS, how has the pandemic affected your treatment?

NT: I wouldn’t say it’s affected it really, yes there’s restrictions, my mum or any visitors can’t come in when I’m having treatment, which is really hard, and there’s restrictions whilst you’re in there, but they’re doing their best – I cannot fault them. It is really amazing, it’s really, really opening my eyes on how amazing the NHS [are] and it’s really, really incredible. Their job is hard anyway, let alone with all of this going on and I can see it. It is really hard for them, but fair play to them, it hasn’t affected them as people there and they keep going.

IN: And it didn’t affect your prognosis by the sound of it. And it also hasn’t impacted on your treatment, there haven’t been missed appointments or any of that?

NT: No, not at all. There’s been a couple online appointments, video appointments, which is fine with me, because it would only mean I’d have to drive there anyway. But no, they haven’t missed any appointments, they’ve been really amazing.

IN: Excellent. Well, that’s fantastic news. Now, let’s talk about this fundraising page that’s been set up. It’s an ambitious target the amount of money you want to raise, just tell us a little bit about the thinking behind not only ... tell us the target for a start, but also the thinking behind it.

NT: Yes, so I really wanted to raise awareness and to raise money for the charities that have already been amazing to me. So it’s only been a month, and the support they’ve given me has been amazing. So we set up a target of £20,000, which we thought at the time was very, very ambitious. But we hit it within 48 hours, which is just incredible, I genuinely could not believe it. So we’ve boosted the target up to £50,000 which, again, it’s going to be very ambitious, but we have got a lot of fundraising set up. We feel like we are going to hit it, we’re at £26,000 at the moment. It’s going to help me as well, because there will be a few months where I won’t be able to work and I’ll be on a statutory sick pay, which isn’t going to cover my bills and stuff like that. But the biggest thing for me is it’s going to really, really help the charities that I put down.

IN: And which charities are those Nathan?

NT: So I’ve got Sarcoma UK, and the Teenage Cancer Trust. So when I go into hospital, I’ve got a member of the Teenage Cancer Trust who comes in every day for half an hour, and chats to me because they know that I can’t have any visitors there. They know that I’m lonely, they come and check and see if I’m okay, if I want anything, any food any games and they are literally amazing it’s crazy.

IN: And we’ll give this again but can you give listeners an idea of where they can find your fundraising page?

NT: Yes. So if you go on to any of the Portishead Twitter pages, or Facebook pages, you’ll find it or if you go on the internet, you can find it if you put in GoFundMe and put in my name Nathan Trueman, you’ll find it, or Team Trueman, there’s many ways you can find it.

IN: And it’s not just been Portishead has it that have got behind your efforts to raise money for these worthy charities, you’ve had support from across the Western League.

NT: Yeah, it’s been amazing. I [saw] a couple of days ago Radstock Town, who I’ve played quite a few times, I remember playing them it was the last game that I played in was Radstock Away. As a squad they’re doing 100 miles in one day on the 6th of February, which is amazing. Yeah, the support I’ve had from all the clubs, I’ve seen donations from different clubs in the league it’s really inspiring. And yeah, I can’t wait to get playing and showing my gratitude to them.

IN: Now, I know this is a very difficult time for you and I really appreciate you taking the time to speak to us on this interview. But I know you’re not going through this alone, so I think there are some very special people that you’d like to say a few words for.

NT: Yeah, definitely. So massive, really massive thanks to Eamonn Daly, Hughesy and Dave Hewitt who are the coaches at Portishead. They have been incredible, Hughesy and Hughesy’s girlfriend Sophie, they’re the ones that set up the GoFundMe page and have been promoting it and setting up a Facebook page. They’ve been amazing because it takes the stress off me and I can just focus on my recovery and whilst I’m in hospital.

Also I want to say massive thanks to my family, my mum and my brothers who’ve been here alongside me when I can’t get out of bed. They’ve been even bringing me food, drink, everything. And also my girlfriend, Ella, as well who’s been incredible. She’s picked me up when I’m at my lowest point, she makes the hard days easier. But yeah, those are the main people I’d love to thank, but also to everyone else who’s even donated or shared or anything, just thank you, literally thank you so much, it’s really emotional, thank you.

IN: Well, it’s our pleasure to have you on, Nathan. Obviously, there’s a long road ahead, not only with your own recovery, but also the fundraising efforts for those fantastic charities as well as the financial support that I know you’re going to need in the coming months. Will you be able to join us again on the podcast?

NT: Yeah, definitely. I’d love to share my progress and let everyone know how I’m doing and I’ll be happy to do that. It’ll be brilliant.

IN: That’s wonderful, Nathan. Well on behalf of everybody who listens to the Toolstation Western League podcast; football is a partisan game, we all know that, but I think yours is one match we can all unite behind, Team Trueman, and hope that you win.

NT: Yeah, definitely.