Anaheim Ducks coach declared cancer free, one year after pancreatic cancer diagnosis

A goaltending coach for the Anaheim Ducks is celebrating after he was declared cancer free earlier this month, one year after after he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

Sudarshan “Sudsie” Maharaj was informed by his doctors of the good news on May 2.

Maharaj was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last May and was given a “very low chance of survival,” a team spokesperson said.

Following his diagnosis, Maharaj underwent major surgery to remove his entire gallbladder, parts of his small intestines, pancreas and stomach. Additionally, he had to go through 11 rounds of chemotherapy and dealt with other challenges health challenges along the way.

Pancreatic cancer is considered to be one of the toughest to treat. It carries one of the worst prognoses in medicine, with some estimates saying only 10% of those who are diagnosed having the chance to become cancer free — if it’s caught early.

While sidelined during his treatment, Maharaj has kept in contact with the team. In February, while still undergoing treatment in Toronto, he surprised the team in the locker room prior to a game against the Maple Leafs.

He told the team about his battle and even joked about “not having any guts.”

On a somber note, he also discussed the darker side of his diagnosis, describing having to plan for his possible funeral and asking goalkeeper John Gibson to be among his pallbearers.

But still he remained optimistic, telling the players, “It’s amazing what can happen when you focus on beating the odds.” Of his slim chances to survive he said, “Here I am.”

Months later, Maharaj is still here and celebrating a bit of good news. His family had a party in Toronto and rang the ceremonial “cancer free” bell to symbolize the end of his treatment.

In April, he was honored as the “Survivor Speaker” at a Pancreatic Cancer 5K walk where fellow Ducks coaches and Gibson attended as a show of support.

Both Maharaj and Ducks assistant coach Mike Stothers, himself a survivor of stage 3 melanoma of the lymph node, were selected by the NHL to receive and donate a grant of $25,000 to local nonprofit organizations raising cancer awareness in Orange County.

The donation was made in celebration of the NHL’s Hockey Fights Cancer initiative, which is in its 25th year.

Maharaj chose to donate his half of the grant to PanCan, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.

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