From the Pitch to Perspective: A Fireside Chat with John Hartson

John Hartson

John Hartson (born 5 April 1975) is a former Welsh international footballer who played as a striker, best known for his spells with Arsenal, West Ham and Celtic. Hartson also featured prominently for Wales, earning 51 caps until his international retirement in 2006. He retired from professional football after being released by West Bromwich Albion in January 2008. John was celebrated many times during his career , he appeared for Celtic in 146 games and scored 88 goals. He was voted Welsh footballer of the year 3 times – 1998, 2001 and 2003 and PFA Players’ player of the Year 2005. In July 2009 it was reported that Hartson would undergo chemotherapy after being diagnosed with "testicular cancer which has spread to his brain”. It was later reported the cancer had spread to his lungs and that he remained in a "critical condition" following emergency surgery. Professor Colin Cooper, Head of the Everyman Campaign, still believed Hartson's prospects were good at 60:40 though they would have been 99:1 with an earlier diagnosis. On 11 April 2010 Hartson appeared as a guest in ESPN's "Talk of the Terrace", where he revealed that he had had over two hundred carcinogenic cells in his body but through treatment all of them had been eliminated and not a trace of cancer was left in his body. John is now an estabilished football pundit for both the BBC, on Match of the Day and Football Focus, he also commentates and give his valued opinion for BT Sport. In 2010 John set up his own foundation to suppport individuals who have suffered in the same way he has and to create awareness campaigns to get young men to check themselves for the signs of testicular cancer. John has been involved in many fundraising projects including climbing Kilimanjaro, raising thousands of pounds for his foundation.As John says “People say I’m a fighter but I was only doing what camenaturally. I’ve got so much to live for.”