NRL great Brett Kimmorley is celebrating a wonderful milestone after revealing his partner Lauren Raper is finally cancer free.
The heartwarming news comes after the former Sharks and NSW State of Origin star lost his wife Sharnie to brain cancer in 2017.
Kimmorley, 49, has taken to social media to make the development public, with Lauren enduring 12 rounds of chemotherapy and undergoing surgery as she fought breast cancer.
‘So proud of this amazing lady going through 12 weeks of Chemotherapy,’ the veteran of 307 NRL games wrote on Instagram.
‘Off the back of a Mastectomy, she has powered through.
‘With plenty of love and support it has helped her out. We are now Breast cancer free.’
Brett Kimmorley has announced his partner Lauren (pictured together) is cancer free after enduring chemotherapy and surgery
Lauren Raper (pictured) endured 12 weeks of chemotherapy before finally being declared free of the killer disease
Kimmorley and Raper (pictured together) have been together for at least five years
A quick check of Kimmorley’s social media shows he has made no mention of the battle until the cancer-free post, suggesting the news was kept very private.
Those close to the former footy star have since taken to the comment section of the post to issue their best wishes.
‘Sending big hugs,’ former Channel Seven reporter Michelle Bishop wrote.
‘Wonderful news Brett! Love and hugs to all of you. Great news!’ another person added.
‘This is absolutely fantastic to see. I am so so happy you have finished your Chemo and I wish you nothing but Health Happiness and Love,’ one more added.
Kimmorley’s former wife Sharnie lost her battle with brain cancer aged just 38.
Her death shook the former NRL player to the core and left him to raise their four daughters Maddi, Mia, Ava and Ivy.
Kimmorley broke down when he opened up about the tragic loss on live television in May 2017, as the NRL’s Beanies For Brain Cancer round loomed.
Kimmorley is pictured with his wife Sharnie, who died of brain cancer in 2017, just eight months after she was first diagnosed with the condition
The former Sharks and Storm star kept his partner’s health battle close to his chest
‘The cause is very special… my children themselves have done their own things to help mum,’ he said.
‘The kids did Relay for Life last week… it was something that was very special to them – for mum.
‘We started that as a family and we finished as a family. Everything we do at the moment is an “us” decision, not so much a “me” and “I” decision.’
Kimmorley did his best to control his emotions before he spoke of something his wife said shortly before she died.
‘It’s trying to take something that Sharnie tried to say to us last year – that she could handle it.
‘We had a softball game last year that was all to raise money for the Mark Hughes Foundation [which contributes to the fight against brain cancer] so that someone else doesn’t have to go through it.’
