A DUNDEE bodybuilder had to have a tumour the size of a newborn baby removed after developing cancer.
When Grant Coutts was placed third at the international Mr Olympia contest in November, little did he know that he was harbouring a huge tumour on his kidney.
The 45-year-old Kirkton man was then diagnosed with white cell carcinoma — with a CT scan showing it had infected his liver, lungs and kidneys.
A second scan was more positive when he found out that the liver issue was a collection of blood vessels but he had surgery to remove the infected kidney and the tumour.
Grant today told the Tele that he refuses to be beaten by the cancer but that it was “a bit of a shock” to hear the news.
He said: “It definitely wasn’t a wee one.
“I had my kidney removed and a tumour the size of a newborn baby with it. It was a bit of a shock to be told that you have something that size inside you and to not even notice.
“I had been competing at Mr Universe with that inside of me and didn’t even know. I would never have thought that I would be placing third in Mr Olympia and have a tumour like that inside me. My mum and dad both died of cancer but I’ve told myself I will not be beaten by this.
“I have another scan this month, and I also have spots on my lungs but the consultant said they could be benign.”
Grant, who now lives in Methil with his partner, Kerrie Hynes, is aiming to tackle the illness using immunotherapy, which boosts the body’s natural defences to fight the cancer.
It uses substances either made by the body or in a laboratory to improve or restore immune system function.
Grant also believes that his time in the gym bodybuilding will pay dividends in his recovery — as his body is used to breaking down cells and repairing them on a regular basis.
He is currently following the Budwig diet, which involves eating flaxseed mixed with cottage cheese or milk, and is trying to keep his body in an alkaline state.
Grant said that doctors were shocked at his resilience after the operation — he was able to sit in a chair soon after the procedure and also claims to hold the record for the shortest time before discharge from Kirkcaldy’s Victoria Hospital after the operation.
He managed to return to work in the ceramic tile industry just two weeks later. He added: “I have never been one for lying down. I am a bit restricted but I just keep going. The first thing I thought when I was diagnosed was that I have too much life left to live. I have two daughters and a son, and I would do anything to help them. I can’t help them if I am dead.”
Grant — whose three children are Paige, 22, Lisa, 18, and three-year-old Grant — is set to Brave the Shave for Macmillan Cancer Support in the hope of inspiring others.
To contribute to his fundraising effort visit bravetheshave.org.uk/shavers/grant-coutts.