Darts icon Michael van Gerwen has spoken candidly about his father’s difficult battle with cancer, revealing he was forced to have his nose amputated 18 months ago.
The Dutchman, who begins his World Darts Championships campaign against Mitsuhiko Tatsunami this week, has endured a turbulent year since his heavy defeat by Luke Littler in the final last January.
The 36-year-old star announced his split from his wife Daphne in May, and the pair are now working through a divorce after 17 years together. Meanwhile, Van Gerwen is currently focusing on supporting his father, Henri, as he battles cancer.
Van Gerwen Snr has been forced to undergo several months of radiotherapy and chemotherapy as a result of the disease.
Sharing a heartbreaking update on his father’s health during an interview with the Guardian, he said: ‘Not too good. He is sick. They amputated his nose one-and-a-half years ago and two months ago they cut away all his lymphs.
‘They cut them everywhere so he can’t taste any more, he can’t swallow any more. He has tubes so it’s not going too good. His quality of life is bad, but he still tells me off when I don’t do well.
Michael van Gerwen reveals his dad had his nose amputated in an update on his cancer battle
Van Gerwen has endured a turbulent year, having announced his split from wife Daphne in May
The couple, who are working through a divorce after 17 years together, are now on ‘good terms’
‘He’ll be watching me in the worlds. Of course. He was always a strong man and now…’
The three-time world champion, who admitted in October that he was going through the toughest period of his life, also gave an update on how he and Daphne are coping as they work through the divorce.
‘We were 17 years together, nearly 11 years married,’ he said. ‘You need to give yourself time to let it go.
‘Sometimes you get thrown back to reality and then you need to try to move out of it again. I can do it.’
Van Gerwen, who took a brief break from the oche earlier this autumn to focus on himself, is back to seek a fourth world title triumph at Alexandra Palace after being blown away by Littler last time.
When asked whether darts has helped distract him from the challenges in his private life, he said: ‘Yes, sometimes it really helps me focus on something else. But sometimes it also annoys me.’
‘But me and my ex are on good terms so that’s really important for the kids. We’re always going to be connected because we have kids together.
The Dutchman urged that he will always ‘be connected’ to Daphne because of their children
Van Gerwen is seeking a fourth world title triumph after losing to Luke Littler in last year’s final
‘The kids were with me the last six days. I brought them to their mum yesterday and now I’m [back in the UK] I’ve got four days for myself and then next week I pick them up for two days again.
‘I’m a darts player and I’m a father, but I need me time as well.’