Three-time longboard surfing world champion, Phil Rajzman, 42, from Rio de Janeiro, was spending Christmas 2023 with family and friends in Hawaii when he realized that there was something wrong with his body.
Having lived for a few weeks with discomfort in the rib region when he lay down on his board to paddle in the sea towards the waves, the surfer initially thought it could be a case of gastritis.
At Christmas dinner, however, when he ate a little more than usual, he felt sick, vomited and realized that the situation could be more serious. After consultations with doctors in Hawaii and Brazil, he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a type of cancer that affects the lymphatic system.
Soon after came the heavy chemotherapy sessions that left him quite weakened. In mid-June 2024, Phil was preparing to be admitted to the hospital for a bone marrow transplant as part of his treatment.
After a battery of pre-operative exams, to the doctors’ surprise, the results showed that the patient was cured, without the need for a transplant. “I think it was a miracle,” said an emotional Phil. Sheet. “It was the biggest victory of my life.”
He believes that his history as an elite athlete for more than two decades was important in his recovery. According to the surfer, in addition to physical preparation, the mental aspect and resilience to stay focused in pursuit of a goal, even in a difficult circumstance such as fighting cancer, were decisive.
“You stay active, keep eating, sleeping as long as you need to sleep, waking up, getting up, getting out of bed, eating well, keeping your head in good shape… I think that sport, the athlete’s mind, made all the difference,” said Phil. He used cannabidiol, which he considered important for maintaining appetite and providing necessary rest at night.
“The treatment is painful, horrible. But I had the option to think about these problems and the option to focus on the end goal. Having a family, friends, a sport you love, these are things that motivate you to be alive.”
When he was still facing the disease, Rajzman had to return to Hawaii, where he lives for six months a year, to resolve bureaucratic issues. At the time, upon landing on the island, he realized that the waves were perfect for surfing and, even though he was far from the best conditions, he took his board and went to sea.
“I had that feeling again of being inside the tube, of catching a big wave. That made me relive that feeling of well-being. In the middle of the whole process, I felt full again, happy, enchanted with nature and I said : ‘Man, this is God, I’m connected with God, it’s a message telling me that I’m going to be okay, I’m going to experience this more often in my life'”, he recalled.
At the end of October, after recovering, he was back competing. On Itacoatiara beach, in Niterói, he finished runner-up in the Tunel Crew Shootout 2024 tournament, losing the decision to longtime friend Raoni Monteiro.
About two months later, back in Hawaii, he climbed to the top spot on the podium in the traditional Hale’Iwa International Open competition, one of the few he had not yet won.
Although he doesn’t have the same physical preparation as the young athletes who are now his opponents, Phil said he relied on the experience gained over decades on the board to adopt a strategic positioning, waiting for the best waves.
“I think it was perhaps the first time that my five-year-old daughter Coral saw me win an event and understood what was happening, because before she was very young. And it was really cool to experience that moment with her”, smiled
The surfer now wants to serve as an example for other people facing cancer.
“My dream now is to have sponsors again that allow me to be 100% focused on competitions and to be able, in some way, to convey this message that these obstacles often appear in life, but that they do not serve to weaken, largely because of On the contrary, they serve to strengthen you, so you come out of it stronger.”
