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When West Melton front-rower Blair Colombus was diagnosed with cancer two years ago, one goal immediately went on his to-do list: Reach 100 division one games.
On Saturday, the 45-year-old is set to bring up the milestone when West Melton hosts Hurunui in their final combined country match of the season.
Colombus was left stranded on 94 games after being diagnosed with stage-three bowel cancer in June 2024.
The cancer has since progressed to stage four, but he returned to the team determined to reach 100 games.
“It’s been something I’ve been looking forward to, I missed running out with the guys and playing a bit of rugby,” he said.
“I’ve missed celebrating the wins and going through the losses with the team.”
Saturday’s match will also be Colombus’ last for the foreseeable future. He begins a new treatment regime next week that requires a chemotherapy port to be fitted in his chest, meaning he will no longer be able to play.
“They wanted to do it this week, and I said, sorry, I’ve got an appointment on Saturday, I need to be well for it, it’s a big one.
“So they deferred things, and Monday morning, I go and get my port put in.”
Bowel cancer runs in Colombus’ family. His grandfather Billy Young died before he was born, and Billy’s brother Robert died when Colombus was a child.
"It was always on my to-do list (to get checked), I just didn’t realise I was going to be this young having to do it,” he said.
"But I’m glad I did go and get checked, it could have been a lot worse.
"When I was diagnosed, it was stage three, so it was pretty bad at that stage. The fight started straight away.”
His only symptom before diagnosis was persistent diarrhoea, which he initially thought was a stomach bug picked up on a family holiday in Fiji.
When it went on for more than a month, he went to his doctor and mentioned his family history.
Blood tests came back negative but Colombus was referred for a colonoscopy, which found a tumor in his colon.
He had surgery to remove the tumour, but subsequent lumps were later found in his lungs.
After his diagnosis, Colombus made a list of goals he wanted to achieve.
Playing his 100th game for West Melton was one of them. Another was finishing a Bachelor of Management at the University of Otago, which he completed earlier this year. He also wanted to keep up the family tradition of holidaying in Fiji.
This year, 18 friends joined the family on the trip, and next year’s holiday is already being planned for April.
He is still able to work as a production manager at the Christchurch Engine Centre, who helped fund his bachelor's degree – an achievement he said he was proud of.
"Managing to finish it off was pretty cool. Hopefully the kids will see me and think ‘if Dad can finish something when he's not too well, why can't I?’"
Colombus and wife Eliza have two children, 13-year-old Levi and nine-year-old Amelia, who both play rugby for West Melton.
He expects Saturday’s milestone to be emotional, and said the club had been a huge support for his family.
“When I went through my first lot of chemotherapy, I was pretty sick, and my wife and the family weren’t able to do too much at home, so (the club) dropped me out shopping and fuel vouchers and stuff, it was pretty special.
“The people down there, even people that I don’t directly talk to, they know what’s going on with me, they always come up to say ‘hi, how are you doing’, check in on me.”
Colombus said there were times the diagnosis hit him hard, but he tried to keep himself busy rather than dwell on it.
“You actually feel fine in yourself and in your body, it’s just what’s growing inside is what’s killing you. It’s a bit of a mind game,” he said.
“I’ve got to keep my head up. My motto is I’ve just got to keep on smiling and live for today.”
The treatment next week is known as the Breakwater regimen and involves a mix of chemotherapy, tablets and other IV treatments that have shown success overseas.
“I’m living in hope, I don’t know what’s involved,” he said.
“I don’t know how many times a week I’ve got to go there, if it’s weekly or fortnightly. I’ve got these chemo tablets I’ll be having as well
“And yeah, I’ll get sick, there will be days when I’m down in the dumps, and there will be days where hopefully I’m good and able to come to work like normal. That’s the goal.”