When Philadelphia Flyers forward Oskar Lindblom went public with his cancer diagnosis last month, the Philly community rallied behind the 23-year-old star player. On Thursday, Lindblom shared a rare update with fans via his Instagram page: He was back on the ice — likely getting some practicing in — and he brought his girlfriend, Alma Lindqvist, and their adorable pooch along with him.
View this post on InstagramRead More The Flyers announced that Lindblom had been diagnosed with a rare type of bone cancer called Ewing’s sarcoma on Dec. 13, saying that treatment and recovery would likely keep the young player off the ice for the remainder of the 2019-2020 hockey season.RELATED: Flyers Forward Oskar Lindblom Out for the Season After Cancer Diagnosis
The health issues have not kept the young player from supporting his teammates, though. Lindblom stopped by the team’s practice earlier this month, according to NBC Sports, and then made an appearance for a game on the 11th, where he was met with a standing ovation from the crowd at the Wells Fargo Center, the Flyers’ home turf.
Flyers captain Claude Giroux said the team was really pumped that Oskar was able to come out to the game.
RELATED: The NHL Community Comes Together in Heartwarming Show of Support for Oskar Lindblom
“I was excited for Oskar to be able to come to the game,” Giroux told NBC Sports. “We’d love to spend more time with him; he’s going through a lot right now and we want to be there for him, but it’s a little hard for us to kind of do that. But he’s a strong kid. His attitude is unbelievable and it was great to see.”
The Flyers’ official Twitter and Instagram accounts shared videos of Lindblom at the game, as well as the whole crowd standing up to give the young star a round of applause.
Fans were quite emotional in the comments for the videos.
“We love you Oskar!!!! #oskarstrong,” wrote one, who goes by the Instagram handle @autumn019.
“BRB crying my eyes out,” wrote another who goes by the handle @pbensinger.
Lindblom hasn’t gone public with what type of treatment he’s undergoing, but from his recent updates, he appears to be committed to keeping up a healthy, active lifestyle.
What Is Ewing’s Sarcoma?
Ewing's sarcoma is a cancer that grows in the bone or soft tissue, and can develop in the bones in many different parts of the body. It's most commonly diagnosed in adolescents and young adults, from teen years to the mid-20s, according to the National Cancer Institute.
The typical treatment for Ewing's sarcoma may involve a combination of chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. Surgery can be done to remove cancer that may be left over after chemotherapy or radiation, according to the National Cancer Institute. Certain factors will affect what type of treatment is given and the prognosis for the disease, such as whether the cancer has spread, whether it began in the bones or the soft tissues, and how large the tumor is at the time of diagnosis.
If cancer is caught early, in a localized stage, the five-year survival rate for Ewing's sarcoma is around 83%, according to the American Cancer Society. However, neither the Flyers nor Lindblom himself have commented on where his cancer was found or whether it had spread.
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