SAN DIEGO (NEWS 8) – Oncologists at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center diagnosed Oceanside Police Officer Osmond Nicholas with brain cancer in June of 2017, and was told he could live for 15 months.
A year and seven months later, he is married, has a healthy baby girl and is still living.
"I like to hike, you can catch me on top of Cowles Mountain, Potatoe Chip rock,” said Nicholas.
The former San Diego State University Aztec wide receiver has been wearing the Novocure Optune cap for about 18 months. The head device, which uses a light weight battery, uses alternating electric fields to target cancer cells in the brain.
Despite the funny look he receives, Osmond says because of a bone marrow disorder he can’t be treated with chemotherapy. He wears the cap 22 hours per day, 18 hours at a minimum.
“The science shows that this device works. It's just your will to wear it,” said Nicholas. “It's the will to live.”
On June 22, 2017, Osmond was supposed to fly to Las Vegas for his bachelor party but had an excruciating headache. He was nauseous and went to the emergency room.
“I didn’t know anyone who had cancer, and then it turned into 'hey you have stage four brain cancer,'” said Osmond.
Doctors removed the tumor the next day and that week he was diagnosed with one of the most difficult cancers to treat, glioblastoma, the same cancer the late Senator John McCain had.
Osmond’s fiancé, Trinity, had just graduated from law school and was studying for the bar exam. The couple was set to get married in September, but a week before the wedding day, Nicholas was hospitalized. He was discharged six days before the big day.
They married and 14 months later they welcomed a healthy baby girl named Ryiah.
“You don't know how strong you are until you're in the position to be strong,” says Trinity Nicholas.
Osmond has gone from patrol to investigations in the family protection unit. He says while he still has his tough days, the determined and planned father to keep living for his community, family, daughter, wife and himself.
“I am going to beat this and not let it beat me,” said Osmond.
Trinity did pass the bar exam and is an attorney.
Novocure says half of the patients who use the Optune cap and chemotherapy are alive at two years compared to 31% who only use chemo.
The Nicholas’ say the San Diego Brain Tumor Foundation has provided much needed support.