The 18-year-old from Rutherford is battling cancer in his lungs and heart after he was diagnosed with a relapse late last year.

The diagnosis came last December, more than seven years after he bravely fought off osteosarcoma – a type of bone cancer.

In the time since, he has begun to build a reputation as a formidable lawn bowls player.

He had enjoyed an active lifestyle as a promising rugby league and soccer player, but his first bout with cancer meant he had to reconsider his sporting decisions.

Now, Kallan has a new challenge – by the sound of it, he’s facing his illness with the same courage he showed the first time around.

He is undergoing a trial chemotherapy method, which appears to have made his cancer shrink slightly.

Kallan’s family hopes that the unproven method will slow his illness down and buy them more time together.

The chemo is taking a heavy toll on Kallan, as it does to many people who undergo the treatment.

But every time the doctors ask him if he has had enough, the teenager tells them he wants to keep going.

It’s little wonder that his dad, Darren, says Kallan is “a really strong kid” who has a tough mental attitude.

Kallan got to meet some of his sporting idols last weekend, when the West Tigers NRL team played at Hunter Stadium.

It came after Tigers captain, Aaron Woods, sent Kallan a message to wish him a happy 18^th birthday last weekend.

The Tigers invited the teenager into their dressing sheds at the Newcastle game on Sunday and asked Kallan and Darren to be their guests at the hallowed Leichhardt Oval for the side’s clash against the Melbourne Storm this weekend.

Sporting teams and sports people are often referred to as being heroic or courageous.

But young people like Kallan Egar put the meaning of those words in perspective.

It’s likely the Tigers players and staff recognised this.

Kallan knows that there is a hard road in front of him – he’s reminded every day.

He doesn’t know how much time is on his side and he is often in pain, but he bravely pushes on.