RICHMOND, VA – (Tuesday, May 31, 2016) – The Richmond Kickers announced today that forward Matthew Delicâte was recently diagnosed with kidney cancer and will undergo a partial Nephrectomy to remove Renal Cell Carcinoma. Dr. Charlie Jung from Virginia Urology will perform the procedure at St. Mary’s Hospital with robotic assistance on Friday, June 3. He is expected to miss 8-12 weeks.
A mass was discovered in Delicâte’s kidney during an ultrasound after he sustained a back injury at training earlier this month and a subsequent CT scan confirmed the carcinoma. No further treatment is expected following Friday’s procedure.
“I was frustrated after hurting my back and not being able to train and feature for the team, but in hindsight, I am very fortunate to have caught this at an early stage,” commented Delicâte. “I hope the team continues to work hard in my absence and I am aiming for a full recovery as quickly as possible.”
“Events such as this immediately put the importance of winning soccer matches into perspective,” added Leigh Cowlishaw, Richmond Kickers Director of Soccer. “We wish Deli a successful surgery, speedy recovery and look forward to having him score more goals for the Kickers in the months to come.”
Currently in his 10th season with the Kickers, Delicâte has made six appearances to start the 2016 campaign, contributing a goal against the Charlotte Independence on April 22.
He added six goals to his franchise-leading record in 2015 and posted his 200th point in a Kickers uniform in a 1-0 win over Montreal in April 2015. Consistently one of the top goal scorers in the league since his professional debut in 2004, Delicâte eclipsed the club’s all-time scoring record in 2012, having since amassed a total of 94 goals and 21 assists in 244 appearances over 10 seasons in Richmond. Spending the 2006, 2007 and 2008 seasons with the Rochester Rhinos, the native of Kent, England returned to Richmond in 2009 and led the club to back-to-back Championship appearances.
The 2003 CAA Player of the Year, Delicâte holds the career record at Virginia Commonwealth University with 44 goals and 13 assists and is the first player to reach the century mark in career points (101).
