Nik Gibbons thought he had just broken a toe after playing football, he was later diagnosed with bone cancer and ended up having his lower leg amputated.
The 34-year-old from Hucknall was not going to let a life changing operation affect his life so he ditched his job as a quantity surveyor to become a personal trainer. Along with 3 other friends, Nik has opened a personal training gym in West Bridgford which also specialises in helping other cancer sufferers who have lost their limbs.
In 2011 at the age of 26, Mr Gibbons received his biopsy results confirming that he had bone cancer after a yearlong struggle with his toe. He had his toe removed and went through treatment. In 2013, he went into remission but a few years later, he began to experience the same sensation in his big toe which had alerted him to problems the first time around.
Nik was given a number of operations, but he eventually decided on the more dramatic operation of having his leg removed below the knee, because a prosthetic would allow him to walk normally.
“I found myself sitting around all day, so I got my dad to drive me up to the gym. I knew then that is what I wanted to do. I did not want to sit in an office. I wanted to be in a position where I could give back. I want to get cancer patients back into exercise. It plays a massive part in your mental health. I think it helps if you have got someone who can relate and has come through the other side.”
The Fitness Collective in Bridgford Road is a gym which offers small group personal training. It first opened on January 6, the plans are to offer cancer rehab in the future.