Christchurch: Already coping with a host of health issues, former New Zealand all-rounder Chris Cairns on Saturday revealed that he has been diagnosed with bowel cancer. The 51-year-old had undergone four open heart surgeries but was left paralysed by a spinal stroke on the operating table five months ago. He was living in the University of Canberra hospital in a special rehabilitation facility.

"Another fight ahead but here's hoping this one is a swift upper cut and over in the first round," Cairns, who played 62 Tests and 215 ODIs for New Zealand between 1989 to 2006, said on social media. "I was told yesterday I have bowel cancer... big shock and not what I was expecting.

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"So, as I prepare for another round of conversations with surgeons and specialists, I keep remembering how lucky I am to be here in the first place," he said. The Canberra-based Cairns suffered an aortic dissection -- an often fatal rare heart condition -- in August and was on life support and required urgent heart surgeries last September.

However, during the operation Cairns suffered a stroke which left him paralysed in both legs.