I'm a powerlifter who lost arm after shock diagnosis but it won't stop me (2025)

AT just 22, Harry Greaney has faced challenges that would test even the strongest among us.

And the Galway lad is proving that the human spirit is more powerful than any diagnosis after overcoming unimaginable obstacles.

Cancer remains one of Ireland’s greatest health burdens, with more than 45,000 new cases every year, many of these affecting young adults.

The personal trainer's first health problems appeared long before cancer was ever mentioned.

Back in 2014, when he was still a child, Harry tore and split a muscle in his arm, which led to a blood clot and long-term damage that never fully healed.

For nearly a decade, the arm functioned at reduced capacity, but by early 2023 it deteriorated further, causing constant pain and immobility that could no longer be ignored.

Harry said: "I had issues well before my cancer diagnosis, going back years.

"The first thing to start off was that originally, I'd injured the arm in 2014 – I tore and split the muscle in an accident when I was a child.

"When I went home, a blood clot formed in the muscle, and since then I never really had the full use of the arm – it was always somewhat damaged.

"But by 2023, things got a lot worse. I was in a lot of pain with my arm, and I could barely use it at all."

Medical scans initially showed nothing, leaving him trapped in uncertainty until an MRI in May 2023 revealed a 6.5cm tumour that finally explained the decline.

The diagnosis was synovial sarcoma, a rare and aggressive cancer that often grows silently until advanced stages.

Treatment began immediately with 25 rounds of radiation at St Luke’s Hospital in Dublin, a process that was harsh but highly effective, destroying 95 per cent of the cancer cells.

Surgery to remove the tumour followed, and for a brief period he was told he was cancer-free.

Doctors then recommended six cycles of the strongest chemotherapy available in the country as a preventative measure to reduce the risk of recurrence.

Chemotherapy pushed his body to the limit, stripping away his hair and strength and demanding a mental resilience that few people his age are forced to summon.

'VERY HARSH CHEMO'

Although the side effects were immense, the 22-year-old fitness enthusiast continued to train at the gym and keep his body moving.

He said: "I was a hyper responder to radiation, and it killed 95 per cent of the cancer cells and cut the tumour size by half.

"I got clear margins. They told me I was cancer-free and that I could do chemo.

"It was optional, but it was recommended as it decreases the chance of it coming back – a form of preventative chemo.

"I ended up doing six rounds of it, very, very harsh chemotherapy. It was so tough that I lost all of my hair and had very little energy, but I still went to the gym and pushed myself."

After being in remission, the cancer ultimately returned earlier this year, faster and more aggressively than before.

A second surgery was attempted, but clear margins could not be achieved, and soon the tumour had spread into the bone.

This left Harry no option but to have his arm amputated.

For many, that decision would have been devastating, but Harry approached it pragmatically, seeing that his arm was already non-functional and that the operation was a necessary step forward.

Physically, he had already adapted to life with one working arm during training, but mentally he chose to lean into coping strategies that allowed him to retain control.

'KEEP SHOWING UP'

The fitness enthusiast began sharing his progress online, using training as an outlet and refusing to define himself by the illness.

He said: "When I first got told I would need it amputated, I was honestly a bit annoyed. I was thinking, 'Why didn't we do this in the first place?'

"If I’d had my arm amputated the first time I got the cancer diagnosis, I might not have gotten it a second time – but I understand no one wants to cut off a 20-year-old’s arm immediately.

"Physically, it didn’t bother me. The arm was non-functional for so long anyway, but mentally it has been something difficult to wrap my head around.

"But straight away, I didn’t want to just hide in the corner – it would only worsen the problem. I had to keep showing up."

Throughout the darkest periods, the gym became his sanctuary, offering distraction, structure and a community.

It not only gave him a place to train but also gave him friends who rallied around him, supporting him through treatment and offering a job that gave him daily purpose.

Training became more than exercise for the fitness enthusiast – it was a lifeline that protected him from isolation when everything else was uncertain.

By the time of his amputation, he had already been lifting one-handed for months, and without the damaged arm holding him back, he discovered new ways to push his body.

He said: "Honestly, I think even without the arm, my training is better than ever before. I now don’t have a non-functional arm in the way of everything.

"It was almost a seamless transition from having two arms, with one of them being non-functional, to just getting that arm amputated.

"I can see a difference in my lifts – it definitely encourages me to keep going."

'SO ENCOURAGING'

Now, just weeks after surgery, he is preparing for a powerlifting competition set to take place on 21 September.

With careful training plans and adaptive strategies, he also has his sights set on strongman events and even a return to combat sports such as kickboxing.

The fitness enthusiast now wants to use his social media platform to reach other young cancer patients, showing them that identity does not vanish with diagnosis.

For Harry, cancer doesn’t define what his body is capable of, and it no longer dictates his goals.

He added: "I want to keep up the powerlifting competitions and do strongman events as well, which could be more easily adapted than powerlifting.

"I’ve received so much support from people online and in the gym – it has been so encouraging.

"I’ll keep posting on social media and really just embrace what I’m going through as opposed to letting it define me and hiding away."