Olympic Games Paris 2024

Brazil rugby sevens star and cancer survivor Raquel Kochhann: “Focus on the process, and do things that make you feel good."

By Sheila Vieira, Virgilio Neto, and Andrew Binner
6 min|
Raquel Kochhann trains with the Brazil women's rugby sevens team

Picture by Buda Mendes

Raquel Kochhann’s world came crashing to a halt in 2022, when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

The Brazil rugby sevens international knew she was a high-risk individual for the illness because her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer before the age of 50.

Self-examination was part of her daily routine and a year after finding what turned out to be a benign lump, re-analysis confirmed that she had cancer.

The news was devastating for an athlete who had, over the previous decade, travelled the world with the “Yaras” national team on the World Rugby Sevens Series, and represented Brazil at the Olympic Games Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.

She had lost a part of her identity.

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In addition to playing, Kochhann also coached university teams, and provided a shining example of how to behave off the field too.

True to form, the Santa Catarina native chose to approach her new reality with as much positivity as possible.

“It was like a whirlwind”, Kochhann, 32, told the Olympics.com Podcast in Portuguese.

“One thing that I always try to do with everything in my life, is to try to see the good side of things, to see the positive side.

“Chemotherapy caused me a type of fear that was a mix of doing an invasive and aggressive treatment. But I dealt with it as everything else, always trying to see the good side of things, the positive side.

“At least I discovered it right at the beginning so it wasn’t so aggressive. I dealt with the treatment like an injury, which I’d need to focus all my energy on in order to recover as soon as possible.”

Raquel Kochhann in action during a Brazil's Rugby Sevens Women's Team training session at on April 23, 2021 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Picture by Buda Mendes

How Raquel Kochhann returned from chemotherapy early

Rugby is not for the faint-hearted. It simultaneously features intense contact and lung-busting aerobic feats. Players need to know how to tackle and be tackled. How to fall, get back on their feet and keep going.

Kochhann needed to tap into all these values when her chemotherapy treatment started, which caused an immense strain on her physical and mental health. But just like in rugby, she wanted to get back on her feet and continue.

After finishing her treatment in July, Kochhann returned to hard training ahead of schedule, but only on the provision that she would not overextend herself.

“The goal was to have a reasonable conditioning level for the beginning of January, but on a physical level at the end of December I had reached the goals a month early. But it was still a slow progression and it wasn’t nice,” she continued.

“Everybody responds differently (to chemotherapy). We increased training and my body responded well to everything. I also think there was a will power to want to return in that year. That always helps you to overcome.

“I told the doctor to let me sign a term of responsibility to allow me to go back to the field, and test myself. The doctor didn’t want to, warning me that a bone could break in the first three months of recovery. So we agreed I’d do no contact in this period and progressively increase the load. We followed his protocol and I didn’t feel a thing, so I was released to play in the Brazilian championship.”

HAMILTON, NEW ZEALAND - JANUARY 26: Raquel Kochhann of Brazil looks to evade Diana Glushenko of Russia during the match between Russia and Brazil at the 2020 HSBC Sevens at FMG Stadium Waikato on January 26, 2020 in Hamilton, New Zealand. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)

Picture by 2020 Getty Images

Those six months presented many unforeseen challenges.

For starters, having experienced no contact training in over a year, she had to relearn many skills from scratch like passing and tackling.

That came with a major fear of being injured in her weakened state.

*“*If (the treatment) weakens the bone like that, how am I going to be able to return?” she thought.

“The first contact could break the sternum bone that protects a vital organ and the rib will enter the middle of my heart.”

But sevens is far more than a physical test. It is the ultimate example of a team sport, where communication and cohesion under fatigue are paramount to success.

“I had to relearn my connection with the team as well,” she said.

“I had missed a year of work, and as much as I was following their progress, I wasn't practising those connections and it was a big challenge to rebuild them.” - Raquel Kochhann to Olympics.com.

Kochhann's teammates helped reintegrate her

This process was helped exponentially by Kochhann’s teammates, who did everything they could to reintegrate their friend and star player.

“What was key for me to stay focused was the group around me, and my willingness to play. That was always something that motivated me because I love what I do. I love being an athlete. And when I complain sometimes that I’m tired, or in pain, I remember I’m doing what I’ve always wanted to do. And I love it.

“Today we have an amazing group, not only together with me in the cancer process, but generally with their sense of collectiveness. If anyone needs anything there’s always someone to support you. Today our group is really amazing and I have no words to describe it, but this collectiveness is huge.”

And despite this gradual return to play, Kochhann, perhaps unsurprisingly, was able to find a silver lining.

“It’s interesting to watch a game from a screen at a certain angle, compared to being on the field playing in it. So I admit I’ve improved my reading capacity and discipline to follow the game plan. That’s what I’ve mostly been focusing on since my return,” she continued.

Raquel Kochhann of Brazil runs over Georgina Friedricks of Australia during the womens pool match between Australia and South Africa in the 2017 Sydney Sevens.

Picture by 2017 Getty Images

Returning to the World Rugby Sevens Series

Kochhann’s emotional return to the national sevens team came at the Perth SVNS in January 2024, 20 months after her previous appearance.

Playing with a sternum protector in her No.10 jersey, she immediately made an impact, kicking two important conversions in Brazil’s 21-17 win over Japan in the ninth place semi-final.

*“*From the bottom of my heart, I really wanted to get rid of the protector!" she admitted.

“But there is no test that can be performed to assess how much bone mass was damaged or how much density was affected by the cancer lesion.

“So it was necessary for me to wear just so I could get the approval to return. So I will continue using it.”

Focussing on Paris 2024

Kochann’s cancer is now dormant and controlled, although she continues to receive treatment.

Outside of this her focus is back on rugby sevens, and the desire to represent Brazil at a third Olympic Games at Paris 2024 is a key motivator.

“I’m in the process of achieving my ideal condition to play and support the team. So each process is a big win. The Olympics are another step on this progress, it’s another championship with huge media visibility. That influences me. For me it’s more about being a part of the group and to be with the best possible group to enter this type of competition.”

On top of improving the standard of rugby in her homeland, the No. 10 also wants to be a role model to others facing adversity.

In International Women's Month, Kochhann's positivity to overcome adversity provides an inspirational example to everyone.

“Cancer is not the end of the world, your life isn’t over. Focus on the process, spend all of your energy on it, focus on being positive, and do whatever it takes so that you can feel good again.”

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