Tian Diedericks’s rise in the South African cycling scene is not your typical tale: his journey was shaped not only by his battle with cancer but also his determination to make a difference.
Diagnosed with a Stage 4 tumour in the jawbone in 2017 when he was only 10 years old, Tian underwent extensive treatment including chemotherapy and surgery to replace his jaw using bone from his leg.
During recovery he found solace in movement: first through martial arts, then through cycling. In the five years since he was declared in remission, Tian achieved a Top 15 finish at the South Africa Road Championships, came 21st at the South Africa Schools MTB Championships, and 2nd place at the Eastern Cape High Schools Cycling League. In addition to being driven academically (he was selected as deputy captain of his school and finished third in his grade despite only attending school for two months in the year following his treatment), Tian wants to turn professional after finishing school.
In 2023, he attended the Pho3nix Future Camp in Port Elizabeth, South Africa where he and 15 other future sport stars from across nine sports were equipped with the skills, knowledge, and personal development needed to understand what it will take to achieve their goals in a professional sports career and beyond.
At Future Camp they also had the opportunity to live out the Pho3nix ethos of giving back to the community by mentoring a group of 16 youngsters from MTR Smit Children’s Haven, which provides care and support for traumatised children between the ages of 3 to 18.
Tian’s family had already experienced the devastating impact of cancer when his older sister passed away from the same disease in 2014, but they were able to forge on buoyed by the support from their surrounding community which also raised funds for Tian’s medical bills.
Now, Tian wants to pay it forward. At the age of 16, he organised a 24-hour cycling event to ride 500 kilometres and raise more than 130,000 South African rand (approximately USD $6,800) for a paediatric oncology unit.
He has turned his pain into purpose, dedicating himself to raising funds and awareness for childhood cancer. Tian says, “I have this constant drive inside of me to help others and I want to make the world a better place. I want to make a difference in others’ lives… I want to be the difference.”