Former South Carolina QB Stephen Garcia changes his approach on mental health amid cancer battle

Former South Carolina backmost Stephen Garcia is presently battling for his beingness aft being diagnosed with signifier 4 colorectal cancer.

The diagnosis came aft noticing definite abnormalities, but the hard-nosed erstwhile jock thought helium could fig retired the issues connected his ain without a sojourn to the doctors. His woman wasn’t comfy with that program from the quarterback, who utilized to instrumentality snaps for a Steve Spurrier-led discourtesy led discourtesy successful Columbia.

Reluctantly, Garcia went successful for a colonoscopy wherever doctors discovered the cancer, and that it had been increasing for a fig of years.

Unfortunately, Stephen wasn’t afloat grasping the quality erstwhile archetypal given, owed to him inactive being somewhat groggy from sedation.

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Stephen Garcia of the South Carolina Gamecocks looks to walk against the Georgia Bulldogs astatine Sanford Stadium successful Athens, Ga., connected Sept. 10, 2011. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

But, erstwhile it was yet explained to him however superior this concern was, world acceptable successful beauteous quickly.

Obviously, there's thing elemental astir proceeding the connection 'cancer,' nary substance which signifier oregon signifier you are dealing with. It volition humble you quickly, with the grim outlook overtaking the mind.

And portion this process to combat the illness volition beryllium tough, filled with galore obstacles, Garcia was astir disquieted astir his family.

While his older lad understands the magnitude, helium has yet to afloat pass his youngest daughter, which led to the erstwhile Gamecock shedding a fewer tears portion discussing the concern with OutKick connected Friday morning.

Former Gamecock has changed his tune amid conflict with cancer

In the past, Stephen Garcia was not 1 to leap aboard the intelligence wellness consciousness train, looking astatine it arsenic idiosyncratic who was not beardown capable to grip the circumstances surrounding immoderate conflict they were facing.

But, that's the shot broadside of Garcia, and helium was the archetypal to admit that his mindset had changed due to the fact that of the stigma surrounding people, astir importantly men, not feeling comfy capable to sermon their struggles.

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This occupation has led to galore downfalls, oregon problems that originate by not talking to others astir what they are going done successful the moments of trials and tribulations.

For Stephen, that has each changed.

"In years past, I thought intelligence wellness was an implicit joke, conscionable to beryllium wholly frank with you," Garcia told OutKick. "I was like, if you gotta person immoderate intelligence toughness, I played for Coach Spurrier truthful I had to person immoderate intelligence toughness to woody with him. But, I was besides highly hard headed. It is huge. There’s gonna beryllium days erstwhile you’re not gonna locomotion to speech with anybody, days you wanna springiness up, you gotta enactment mentally tough. This full process has opened my eyes to a full antithetic deal.

"People tin change. I was against the full intelligence wellness thing, I thought it was stupid. But, it’s changed my opinion, my outlook connected beingness successful general, and I promote everyone to talk it up. I’ve had truthful galore radical scope retired to accidental if you request to talk, scope retired to me. Everyone said the aforesaid happening that you person to beryllium mentally successful it. If you are affirmative mentally, you’re going to get done it. If you’re feeling down successful the dumps, fig retired a mode to get positive. It’s nary joke, you are wherever your minds at."

South Carolina backmost Stephen Garcia throws a walk against Kentucky successful the 3rd 4th astatine Williams-Brice Stadium successful Columbia, S.C., connected Oct. 3, 2009. South Carolina defeated Kentucky 28-26. (Dale Zanine/USA TODAY Sports)

Outreach has been overwhelming, with a agelong conflict ahead

After going done his archetypal circular of chemotherapy this week, Garcia is coming to presumption with the conflict helium faces, though he's keeping a affirmative outlook for the involvement of himself and his family. He volition proceed grooming athletes, erstwhile his assemblage allows, and utilizing his level to promote others to instrumentality their wellness seriously.

If it weren’t for his woman pushing him into getting examined, who knows however agelong this could’ve gone earlier his crab was noticed. In the meantime, the enactment strategy has been overwhelming, arsenic Garcia described portion choking backmost tears.

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Stephen Garcia of the South Carolina Gamecocks drops backmost to walk against the East Carolina Pirates astatine Bank of America Stadium successful Charlotte, N.C., connected Sept. 3, 2011. (Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

Whether it's the Clemson shot team, oregon Dabo Swinney himself, and the thousands of radical who person reached retired implicit the past fewer days, it's not mislaid connected the erstwhile backmost however overmuch the enactment has meant for his ain sanity during uncertain times.

For now, Stephen Garcia is taking his conflict with crab 1 time astatine a time. But, he's besides got assemblage shot fans rooting for him to bushed this unspeakable disease.