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Ex-HK soccer starlet defeats cancer

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A former Hong Kong soccer prodigy is aiming to achieve his goal of playing in the star-studded English Premier League after beating cancer.

Australian Dylan Tombides, 18, was a footballer with the Brazilian Soccer School in Yau Ma Tei for more than a year.

He went on to become a member of the first team squad at the London club West Ham United.

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But 10 months ago, a random drug test taken after a match for Australia under-17s in a match against Uzbekistan uncovered a tumour on one of his testicles.

'I was on such a high throughout the entire first six months of last year and then came down with a thud,' Tombides recalls.

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'I returned home to London and my mum had spoken with the West Ham medical staff, who immediately put in place appointments, tests and scans. Within five days, I had my first operation to remove the tumour.'

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