30 August, 2024

Squash gun fights on after cancer ends long playing career

Gary Duberly, one of New Zealand’s top masters athletes, is facing his greatest challenge – battling a rare form of cancer which is attacking his heart. He spoke to Rob Drent.

(Left) Master of deception… Gary Duberly about to hit the type of shot which frustrated opponents across New Zealand for more than two decades. (Right) Happy place… Gary Duberly with daughter Tyler and granddaughter Violet at North Shore Squash Club, where he was club champion more than 10 times

Gary Duberly is the first to admit he’s never been the greatest trainer. But he always loved being on a squash court.
“I was never one to be doing heaps of court sprints… I always felt match play was the best way to train,” he said. This attitude had him playing squash most nights of the week and most weekends: interclub games, and more than 25 tournaments annually, culminating in excess of 100 competition matches in a year. He kept up this gruelling schedule for the best part of the last 20 years.
His commitment and flair carried the 59-year-old to more than 10 New Zealand age-group masters titles, two Australian masters titles and World Championships in Christchurch in 2008 (mens 40-44) and Cologne, Germany in 2010 (mens 45-49).
He was a key member of Auckland and New Zealand masters teams over the past 25 years. He recalls one golden week in 2022 when he swept through all his matches in the Australian Masters competition and the Trans Tasman test series unbeaten – close to 10 matches.
“It was a great week… I was always very proud to represent New Zealand,” he said.
To spectators, opponents, teammates – and Duberly himself – his natural athleticism and unpredictable shotmaking seemed to indicate he could carry on his masters career into his 60s, 70s and beyond.
He had a squash calendar planned years in advance: this month he was supposed to be in Amsterdam for the World Squash Masters Championships.
But within a few short months last year it was all over.
Duberly was planning his usual big season. Visiting his brother in Thailand over Christmas in 2022, he’d even been going to the gym. But back in New Zealand playing his squash mates at North Shore he started “battling for breath and feeling very unfit… I was struggling against players I would usually have no trouble with.”
His physical decline became apparent at the national teams championships in Christchurch that June. “I had some shocking matches, losing to people who I have never lost to before.
“My daughter Tyler said ‘there’s something wrong Dad. You’ve got to get checked’.”
Back in Auckland, Duberly filled in for his interclub team the following week. It is likely the last squash game he will play.
Duberly’s father had a history of heart issues, so initially cardiologists focused on that organ.
However, after months of exhaustive testing nothing seriously wrong was found structurally with his heart. But in-depth blood tests were then conducted which found Duberly was suffering from myeloma – a type of blood cancer.
While myeloma can be treated, though not cured, in a rare complication it was producing excess proteins which were attaching to his heart, a condition called amyloidosis.
The result has been “very restricted heart function – I can’t walk up stairs and often if I get up quickly I get dizzy,” Duberly said.
“I had to come to terms with the fact that I would not play squash again, which was very hard because squash was such a big part of my life.
“But I was thankful I could still see my friends and family – still play golf.”
Golf was soon taken away as well, however. “As I deteriorated I could not play golf any more, either. During a couple of rounds I almost passed out.”
It was a massive transformation for someone who could play top-level squash for a couple of hours, with a heart rate going at more than 160 beats per minute.
Duberly undergoes chemotherapy every Friday and is also on daratumumab to help control the production of the excess proteins in his heart. The drug is currently unfunded by the government and costs $10,000 a dose. His dosage is up to twice a month, something Duberly has been paying for himself up until now – with a little help from his friends.
The squash community has rallied round through a Givealttle page (up to around $39,000 so far), various tournaments and fundraising events.
“I’ve been so amazed by all the support I’ve had… squash people have been so amazing since I arrived in New Zealand.”
Born in Zimbabwe, Duberly shifted first to Durban, South Africa before emigrating to New Zealand in 2000 with then wife Angie and daughters Tyler, and Jamie. (A third daughter Danielle was born here.)
He had represented Zimbabwe in the mid-1980s and been a top-20 player in South Africa. “One of the first things I did [in New Zealand] was join a squash club.”
A player he met, fellow accountant John Vincent, went on to become his boss, and then business partner in Duberly Vincent and Associates, a well-known North Shore firm.
Duberly’s first tournament was a masters event at Belmont Park where he was graded B2. He won all his matches hardly breaking a sweat and was quickly re-graded to B1. Within a year or so he was an A1, an elite level player, and in New Zealand’s top 10.
“I came here when I was 35 and could not believe the squash scene – it was phenomenal.”
In South Africa he could play seven or eight tournaments a year. In New Zealand he could play 26 to 30 tournaments. Duberly had found his squash heaven.
In addition to his sporting accolades, he recently became a New Zealand Squash board member, something he aims to continue as he winds down his accountancy practice.
Good news arrived this month with Duberly’s insurance company agreeing to fund the drug used to treat the cancer affecting his heart. And, three months ago, he became a grandfather to Violet.
Without treatment, Duberly estimates he has six months to live. If the treatment succeeds, he thinks he has two to three years, hopefully more.
“But I feel lucky. I’ve lived in three countries, I’ve got three daughters and a granddaughter.
“I played a sport I loved and I did reasonably well as a non-professional squash player. I’ve made great friends and met some amazing people.
“Some people live to their 80s or 90s but won’t have been as fortunate as I have been even if I only live to my 60s.
“I remember Richard Purser (a former New Zealand badminton and squash rep) saying to me ‘play as long as you can, because you never know when you won’t be able to because of your body’ – and I have done that.”
Ever competitive and optimistic, Duberly hopes to make a return to the golf course and to be able to travel again.

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