True warrior: Toni Hunt returns a year after cancer diagnosis

When Wynnum Manly ran out for their 2023 BMD Premiership season opener at BMD Kougari Oval, every player had a reason that game mattered to them.

For Julia Robinson, it was her first time in the red and green Seagulls jersey. For Emily Bass, it marked the start of a new season as she once again chases a spot in the Harvey Norman Queensland Maroons.

For skipper Patrice Chambers, it was another opportunity to captain her club, to hopefully guide them back to the finals after a successful 2022 debut season.

But for all of the reasons that game mattered, it all paled in comparison to what it meant to second rower, Toni Hunt.

Just 12 months ago, on March 19 – a week after making her NRLW debut for the Brisbane Broncos – Hunt received the shocking and life-changing news that she had cholangiocarcinoma, a rare type of cancer that forms in the bile ducts.

For the mother-of-three, it’s been a challenging 12 months as she not only fought the cancer but fought to maintain a brave face for her kids and fought to remain as fit as possible so she could one day return to the rugby league field.

That’s what made Round 1 with Wynnum Manly so incredibly special for Hunt.

“I was just proud... proud that I was able to get back there,” Hunt said of the moment she ran onto the field.

“In the lead up, I just had a lot of doubt. I didn’t know if I was ready, if I would be fit enough. I didn’t want to let the team down.

“I was nervous but after the trial games, I just knew this was where I was supposed to be.

“It was hard not playing last year, but whenever I could be there, I was there in anyway shape or form for the team. Even something like taking someone’s bubble gum to the bin, I was there to help them prepare.

“I could do conditioning so while they were training, I’d be running on the side and they’d all be cheering me on. But it was tough. I wanted to be out there.”

Hunt’s treatment for her cancer began quickly after her March diagnosis.

The cancer was in her liver, her gallbladder, and some of her lymph nodes. Because it was in her lymph nodes, this made it too difficult to have surgery.

So, she started with chemotherapy and immunotherapy, and when the tumours shrunk, she was able to have a resection.

“It was crazy... I couldn’t believe it,” Hunt said of the moment she was diagnosed with cancer.

“I never asked what stage I was. I didn’t want to know but I know that when (this type of cancer) spreads, it’s quite hard to get a resection. I wasn’t able to have one at the start, it was too high risk.

“I had the resection in October after the chemotherapy shrunk all my tumours down… I had a partial removal of my liver and I had my gallbladder removed as well.

“After my resection, I went onto 30 days of radiation.”

Hunt, who only has one immunotherapy session left, was then given the green light to return to full training shortly after the resection.

With a background in touch football, Hunt was introduced to the game by former Queensland Maroons playmaker Scott Prince.

He recruited her to join Valleys Diehards when they were part of the BMD Premiership and then she was signed from there to the Broncos, making her debut in the postponed 2021 NRLW season last March.

Having missed the 2022 BMD Premiership season due to her battle with cancer, Hunt was then left searching for a new club for 2023 once she got that green light.

“I went straight back into pre-season,” she said.

“I started a little bit late because I didn’t realise they were already training and I started freaking out. I wasn’t with a team but I always knew I wanted to go to Wynnum.

“I reached out to Amy Turner because we’re quite close and asked if she would ask the coach if I could join the team… she reached out to him and she messaged me a week later.”

Hunt started training and then in February this year, she received even more unexpected news – her cancer was gone.

“On Valentine’s Day I went in to see another oncologist who specialises in clinical trials,” Hunt said.

“I went in thinking I’d hear about what treatments we could do and pathways we’d head down next, but he said he had nothing left for me. The cancer was gone.

“I couldn’t believe it. I looked at my partner and our eyes lit up. It was a massive sense of relief.”

Hunt credits her partner, Tahu Bishop, and their extended family and friends for being her support throughout 2022.

While she always did her best to maintain a brave face, she knows she couldn’t have made it through without her partner, family, friends, and of course, her kids.

“The hardest thing was just going through it all and probably watching my kids see me as sick as I was,” Hunt said.

“I still tried to carry on like nothing was going on. I trained and my kids kept me busy. They all play sports so I was always at someone’s training or games.

“I just had to keep moving forward. I didn’t let it consume me. I had to be strong and stay positive.

“My family and friends were definitely the best supports. When I got the news and eventually told them, they all rallied together and did fundraisers for us because I had to stop work.

“They all took turns coming to treatments with me. The Broncos, they brought meals to us on treatment days. They did fundraisers for me and made sure I was under the best care.

“But yeah, definitely my partner and my kids. I couldn’t have done it without them. They’re definitely my why.

“Hopefully I inspire them. I definitely know they’re proud of me and they’re happy to see me back playing.”

Hunt, who works in payroll for Queensland Health, is now firmly focused on the future.

This week – almost exactly one year since her diagnosis – she will once again lace up the boots for Wynnum Manly, with the Seagulls looking for their first win of the season against Souths Logan Magpies.