AJ Mills, a young Victorian country footballer, has lived through a traumatic experience in the past month. It all began with a discouraging diagnosis that turned his life upside down. In mid-March, his doctors gave him the grim diagnosis of a grade-four IDH-mutant astrocytoma brain tumor. This rare congenital heart defect has a bleak prognosis, with survival rates stagnant over the past three decades. After all of these difficulties, Mills has continued to be an incredible inspiration during his treatment and recovery.
After diagnosis, Mills had two surgeries, six weeks of radiation treatment and chemotherapy. To everyone’s great surprise, after he finished his treatment, he started to get better. This led to him coming back to training about eight to ten weeks out from a major sporting competition.
On August 16, Mills was finally back in action after much anticipation, suiting up for the Echuca reserves. Aside from that, the closest he had come was playing in a VFL practice match with Carlton back in March. He extended that momentum by appearing in two additional games. This was just leading into the GVFL finals. Affordability was a priority Mills worked tirelessly and passionately on this issue. Sadly, he came short of the league’s basic standard of playing three homes and away games per season in order to be eligible for finals play.
In a frustrating move, the league denied Mills an exemption to compete in the finals. As a consequence, he was ruled out of Echuca’s semi-final clash with Rochester on Sunday. Supporters and those close to Mills are incensed by this move. They view the outcome as unfair given the unique facts of his case.
Troy Murphy, president of Echuca Football Netball Club said he and club members were devastated with the decision.
“AJ should be running out for his beloved Echuca Football Netball Club, but sadly that opportunity has been taken from him because of the crazy world we live in,” – Troy Murphy
Murphy further emphasized the emotional burden that this ordeal has had on Mills and his family. He referenced a recent unsolicited letter they received. Most importantly, it showed that AJ would begin pre-season training this year, with eligibility to compete in 2026. As Murphy noted, AJ’s diagnosis would not be changing in the months ahead.
“The letter presented to the Mills family stated AJ would be cleared to start pre-season later this year and play in 2026. Yet AJ’s diagnosis will not change in the next few months,” – Troy Murphy
The wider implications of this decision go beyond the world of football alone. Most argue that it takes a toll on Mills’ mental health and quality of life in general at such a crucially transitional period of his life.
“This is not about football. This is not about winning. This is about a young man’s life, his well-being, and his mental health,” said an anonymous source.
Supporters are hopeful that mental health initiatives are on the rise. Ruling against them would be a further injustice to people struggling through deep personal crises with health care.
“While so much work is being done in the mental health space, this decision feels like another cruel blow to AJ and his family. It’s simply not fair,” said an anonymous source.
As Mills prepares for his one full year of maintenance chemotherapy incubation, he and his supporters are optimistic that his improved functional abilities will lead to more opportunities for him to shine on the field. His community has stood with him, providing literal unyielding support for his travels. They are calling for empathy and kindness as he deals with this tragic turn of events.
