Fit TikTok boss diagnosed with cancer after brushing off symptom

A fit and healthy social media professional has spoken of the moment his life was turned upside down after being diagnosed with stage four non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Govind Sandhu, 38, who is the head of Global Music Partnerships at TikTok Australia, received his shock diagnosis after noticing his knee was swollen following a half-marathon.

Beyond that symptom, the only sign something was amiss was flu-like symptoms, which he’d been experiencing for about six weeks.

Mr Sandhu, who has worked at TikTok for three years, said in an Instagram post he was ‘absolutely shocked and devastated’ and was asking himself ‘why me?’

The Sydneysider explained how he had ‘just went downhill’ after finishing the Sydney Half Marathon, but initially thought it was just a running injury.

‘[I had a] swollen knee, although I thought that’s because my knee was injured from a stack from when I was in Hobart running some trails,’ he said.

‘But [also]  just really bad body aches and sweats and everything that would make you think it was the flu or Covid.

‘And over a four week period, I just deteriorated.’

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After several GP visits, blood tests, ultrasounds, PET and CT scans and tissue biopsies, doctors finally got a ‘comprehensive overview of where things are at’.

‘But there’s also been some complications, as they found some abnormalities just above my pancreas and on my heart,’ Mr Sandhu explained.

‘But it looks like, fingers crossed, the heart is okay.’

Mr Sandhu will start chemotherapy soon and if there is cancer above his pancreas, it will get ‘zapped’.

‘It will be aggressive because the cancer is aggressive,’ he said.

There was an outpouring of support for Govind on social media, with many followers sending him ‘good vibes’.

‘You’ve got this, Gove. [There is] no better human to have the strength, resilience and positivity to kick this in the butt,’ one wrote.

Another added: ‘You’ve smashed everything you’ve ever put your heart and mind to, homie. This is no different.’

A third commented: ‘It messed with the wrong person. You’re gonna crush this, mate!’

Mr Sandhu said he ‘can’t believe it’ and knows he has a fight on his hands, but is adamant it ‘won’t be the end of my story’.

‘Long road ahead, but this won’t be the end of my story. It can’t be! I’m 38 years old, [I’ve] lived the most blessed life to date and have so much more to live for,’ he said.

‘Reality is, I have a chance to fight this f**ker, so I’ll take the W [win] there.

‘Life is beautiful. I am lucky and grateful for what I have.’

He hopes his health battle will remind people to get tested because cancer ‘doesn’t discriminate’.

‘Get your check-ups, go get your bloodwork done. If you’re feeling sick don’t just try and fight it off,’ he urged.