TikTok Executive Govind Sandhu Diagnosed with Stage 4 Cancer at 38
Govind Sandhu, the head of TikTok Australia’s Global Music Partnerships, recently shared some unexpected and tough news: he's been diagnosed with stage 4 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
“This wasn’t exactly part of my five-year plan,” Govind said in a recent Instagram video, perhaps wishing he’d included “Avoid Cancer” in his planner. “I thought I was in the best shape of my life, the healthiest I’ve ever been. A Crossfitter who runs ultra-marathons and marathons lives and breathes training, optimizes sleep and recovery, supplements, nutrition.” Clearly, cancer didn’t get the memo about his fitness regimen.
Govind, 38, had just returned to Sydney in April after training in Bali for a marathon. But after a half marathon in May, his body decided to stage a protest. “I just got really bad flu-like symptoms,” Govind explained in another video, noting that his body was not-so-subtly hinting that something was wrong. “In particular, really bad body aches, as well as at the back of my neck all the way down to my shoulder. That night, I had wild body sweats, which would wake me up throughout the night, and I’d be absolutely drenched.” Clearly, his body wasn’t just sweating the small stuff.
On July 3, he updated his Instagram Stories with some humor despite the circumstances. “Daily movement,” he said. “A day after cycle two—a little bit of the chemo brain, AKA the brain fog, but not feeling too bad, all things considered. I slept OK, the bowels are moving, which was a bit of an issue straight after cycle one.” Because if there’s one thing chemo can’t beat, it’s the importance of regular bowel movements.
The emotional toll, however, is no joke. “Cancer is so complicated, confusing, and nuanced,” Govind shared. “When you first get diagnosed, it’s so overwhelming to understand what it actually means for you, and it is such a personalized journey. For me, it’s about taking it day by day and step by step. As I’ve said before, controlling what I can in terms of movement, nutrition, diet and do what I can.”
Despite the curveball life has thrown him, Govind is facing his diagnosis with a mix of resilience and a sense of humor. And while this wasn’t part of his five-year plan, he’s tackling it like any ultra-marathon – one step at a time.