Actor and underwear model loses a lung after mistaking rare cancer for the flu in shocking medical twist

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Actor Jarryn Nurden is returning to acting after a frightening health crisis. He lost a lung after initially thinking he just had the flu. It turned out to be a much more serious condition.

Nurden, age 34, had moved from South Africa to London in late 2021 to pursue his dream of performing in London’s West End. He had previously worked as an underwear model.

Soon after arriving in the UK, he was suddenly and severely sick, believing he had a bad case of the flu.

Still, he powered through rehearsals and a Christmas pantomime as doctors dug for answers. 

It finally hit me around mid-2023, and it was devastating. He was so sick for so long, and we finally found out what it was – this incredibly rare and awful cancer, a primary malignant neuroendocrine neoplasm of the lung. It all made sense then, all the symptoms, everything he’d been going through… it was just heartbreaking.

He said the moment he received that call felt like ‘being underwater.’

He described the moment of receiving his diagnosis as a surreal slowing of time, a realization that he had cancer. He was shocked, questioning how this could happen given his healthy lifestyle – he doesn’t drink or smoke and works diligently.

Doctors presented him with two difficult choices: chemotherapy and radiation, or a significant operation to remove a portion of his lung.

He decided to have surgery, a lobectomy, in October 2023. The procedure involved removing the lower part of his lung to eliminate any remaining cancer.

Recovery was far from straightforward. 

As he told the outlet, it was ‘really hard,’ and the complications kept piling up.

‘I think it was touch and go at one point. And then I just wasn’t getting better,’ he said.

I spent almost four months in the hospital and needed another major surgery to get rid of infections. It was a truly awful experience.

Let me tell you, dealing with a tough recovery can really throw a wrench in your plans. For me, it meant having to step away from a fantastic opportunity – a spot on the international Chicago tour, no less! It was a huge setback professionally, and honestly, there was a real moment where I wasn’t sure if I’d ever be able to perform again. It was a deeply challenging time.

Several months later, a welcome opportunity appeared: he was offered the role of Mary Sunshine in a production of Chicago in China, marking his return to the stage after his surgeries.

It was a really demanding situation. We had just one day to rehearse in London, which meant flying across the world, quickly rehearsing for two hours, and then immediately going back on stage – all while wearing very tight costumes, he explained.

When he finally stepped into the spotlight again, he was overwhelmed by ‘immense gratitude.’

He explained that he was overwhelmed with thankfulness to be performing again, especially in a show he enjoyed and surrounded by a wonderful cast and crew.

Honestly, after everything he’s been through, it totally makes sense to me that he’s just…chill now. He’s said it himself, all the little annoyances just don’t bother him anymore, and it’s amazing to see! It’s like a weight lifted, and he just doesn’t sweat the small stuff – it’s so inspiring!

It’s common to hear people describe how life-altering major traumas can be, and I never really understood until now, but I do now.

On his 34th birthday, Nurden shared a heartfelt message on Instagram, summing up the past year and his hopeful future with the simple statement: ‘I survived… now it’s time to LIVE.’

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2025-11-17 18:33