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Keystone-SDA
Swiss skiing legend Roland Collombin, 74, is battling cancer, recently undergoing treatment for a liver tumor following an initial diagnosis of throat cancer in 2024.The Valais native shared his fears and hopes in a Monday interview with Tamedia newspapers.
(Keystone-ATS) “I’m afraid of dying because life is so beautiful and should not stop,” Collombin stated, reflecting on his prognosis. He first noticed symptoms in late 2024, experiencing persistent coughing that prompted a medical consultation.
The initial diagnosis revealed throat cancer, but subsequent examinations indicated the disease had metastasized to his liver.Collombin underwent chemotherapy for the throat cancer, which proved effective, but the liver required surgical intervention. A portion of his liver was removed at the Center Hospitalier universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) in Lausanne in July 2025.
Recovery and Future Plans
Collombin described the three weeks following the liver surgery as “a real hell,” but he was discharged from CHUV on Friday, August 8th, and is now recuperating at his home in Valais.he will continue chemotherapy treatments, with the next session scheduled for September 15th at the Valais Hospital in Sion.
Despite the ongoing treatment, Collombin remains optimistic. “The liver works well.I am confident,” he said, acknowledging the uncertainty inherent in his situation. He is under the care of Dr. Isabelle Magne, head of oncology at Valais Hospital.
A two-time World Cup downhill winner, Collombin achieved victories in Kitzbühel, Austria, in both 1973 and 1974.He intends to attend the World Cup races in Kitzbühel in january 2026, nonetheless of his health. “I am ready for a ski festival, whatever my state,” he affirmed. Collombin’s career included 11
