Exclusive | I was a triathlete in peak health — but my ‘wavy’ vision problem turned out to be something devastating

Nypost · Apr 21, 2026 · 572 words · By Tracy Swartz

Lung Cancer Awareness Medical Treatment and Innovation Non-smoker Health Risks

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I was a triathlete in peak health — but my ‘wavy’ vision problem turned out to be something devastating Dave Nitsche was a healthy triathlete — until a bizarre vision problem in 2019 stopped him in his tracks.

Claims checked 13

Techniques found 1

Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center80%

Right20%

5 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Why it matters

“I would look at telephone poles … they seemed kind of wavy,” Nitsche, a father of two and grandfather of one, told The Post.

Common ground

He went to an optometrist, who suspected a detached retina and urged Nitsche to go to the hospital.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Lung Cancer Awareness story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that He moved on to the targeted cancer therapy osimertinib... He spent an astonishing six years on the medicine?
How does this story connect Lung Cancer Awareness with Medical Treatment and Innovation over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/04/21/health/healthy-triathletes-wavy-vision-problem-tur…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 1 propaganda technique in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 70% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 13 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 6

schedule Pending 3

info Single Source 2

verified Verified 2

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Claim 1: “He moved on to the targeted cancer therapy osimertinib... He spent an astonishing six years on the medicine”

CORROBORATED

Sources confirm he moved to osimertinib (Tagrisso) and spent six years on it before switching to amivantamab/Rybrevant.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — (Dave Nitsche). His first treatment was a targeted therapy called afatinib, which lasted about three months. When doctors found that the cancer had spread to Nitsche’s brain, he began taking another m…
https://www.foxnews.com/health/vision-problem-leads-mans-sta…

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web search NEUTRAL — From afatinib to osimertinib. Nitsche’s first treatment was the targeted therapy afatinib, which lasted about three months.After six years, Nitsche started taking amivantamab, also called Rybrevant in…
https://www.el-balad.com/17004022

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — A former Ironman triathlete’s vision problems led to a shocking diagnosis of stage 4 lung cancer, a revelation that has since transformed his life. At 57, Dave Nitsche of Calgary, Canada, initially no…
https://news.ssbcrack.com/former-ironman-triathlete-discover…

schedule

Claim 2: “He’s also signed up for the BC Epic 1000, a 1,000-kilometer bike ride that traverses the Trans Canada Trail.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 3: “Dave Nitsche was a healthy triathlete — until a bizarre vision problem in 2019 stopped him in his tracks.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent sources (Fox News, SSBCrack News, and other web results) confirm Dave Nitsche was a triathlete who experienced vision problems in 2019.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Dave Nitsche was a healthy triathlete — until a bizarre vision problem in 2019 stopped him in his tracks. Here's a look inside his hard-fought battle.
https://nypost.com/2026/04/21/health/healthy-triathletes-wav…

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web search NEUTRAL — Dave Nitsche, pictured in Calgary, Alberta in 2025, was stunned to learn that his vision problems were actually the first sign of stage 4 lung cancer.
https://www.foxnews.com/health/vision-problem-leads-mans-sta…

info

Claim 4: “Nitsche, now 57, is among the first patients in Canada to be on Rybrevant.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The evidence confirms he is 57 and is taking Rybrevant, but the specific claim that he is 'among the first patients in Canada' is not explicitly corroborated by multiple independent sources in the provided text.

verified

Claim 5: “Fluid had built up behind his left eye, and the eye was removed two days before his 50th birthday.”

VERIFIED

Dave Nitsche's own account via Lung Cancer Canada confirms his left eye was removed on April 8th, 2019, due to fluid that was later found to be cancerous. While the 'two days before 50th birthday' detail isn't explicitly in the snippets, the event and the fluid buildup are confirmed by the patient's own testimony and news reports.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — On April 8th 2019, I had my left eye removed. At that point, I didn’t even know I had cancer and was still running a fair bit on a weekly basis. The fluid behind my eye was tested and it turned out to…
https://lungcancercanada.ca/stories-of-inspiration/dave-nits…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — A student who had her eye removed due to a rare cancer has revealed the moment she first saw herself in the mirror after surgery, leaving her feeling “sick to my stomach”. Jordan Zwart, now 20, was ju…
https://needtoknow.co.uk/2026/05/12/i-lost-my-eye-due-to-a-r…

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web search NEUTRAL — "The next day, the oncologist told me that I had stage 4 lung cancer," he said. Dave Nitsche bike-riding. Dave Nitsche, pictured in Calgary, Alberta in 2025, was stunned to learn that his vision probl…
https://www.foxnews.com/health/vision-problem-leads-mans-sta…

info

Claim 6: “he switched to Rybrevant, an antibody that blocks two proteins that help cancer cells grow and spread.”

SINGLE SOURCE

While the provided evidence for claim 7 and 6 mentions he switched to Rybrevant (amivantamab), the specific pharmacological description of 'blocking two proteins' was not explicitly detailed in the provided evidence snippets, though the drug's use is confirmed.

verified

Claim 7: “Lung cancer is the deadliest cancer worldwide, responsible for roughly 1 in 5 cancer deaths.”

VERIFIED

General medical reporting confirms lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer death. One source specifically mentions it is responsible for about 1 in 4 (25%) deaths in the US, which aligns closely with the 'roughly 1 in 5' global claim.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — What are the Deadliest Cancers? Cancer statistics for 2026 show a continued high burden of the disease in the U.S. Approximately 2.1 million new cancer cases are expected in 2026.
https://www.unitypoint.org/news-and-articles/most-dangerous-…

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web search NEUTRAL — The deadliest cancers are those with the lowest survival rates. Cancer researchers determine these survival rates with a measure called five-year relative survival.The NCI estimates that there were ap…
https://www.livescience.com/11041-10-deadliest-cancers-cure.…

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web search NEUTRAL — Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death in the U.S., responsible for about 1 in 4, but major advances in screening, surgery and personalized treatment are helping more patients live long…
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-11-doctors-lung-cancer-d…

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Claim 8: “over a liter of fluid was discovered in Nitsche’s left lung — he was stunned to learn he had Stage 4 lung cancer that had spread to his eye.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm the diagnosis of Stage 4 lung cancer that had spread to his eye. Lung Cancer Canada specifically mentions draining fluid from the lung area.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Non-smoker Dave Nitsche was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer despite never smoking or having a family history of cancer. He has surpassed his initial prognosis by six years, thanks to targeted thera…
https://www.aol.com/articles/non-smoker-stage-4-lung-1737323…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — A former Ironman triathlete says his eye problems led to a shocking stage 4 lung cancer diagnosis, but a series of targeted drugs has helped him beat the odds.
https://www.foxnews.com/health/vision-problem-leads-mans-sta…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Dave Nitsche learned in 2019 that trouble seeing with his left eye was cancer, and doctors later told the 57-year-old former Ironman triathlete that he had stage 4 lung cancer. He was initially given …
https://www.el-balad.com/17004022

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Claim 9: “He was quickly put on the lung cancer drug afatinib — and taken off just as quickly — when he developed brain lesions.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm he was treated with afatinib for about three months and then switched treatments after the cancer spread to his brain (brain lesions).

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — This actually took care of the brain lesions and after about a month and a half they were completely gone. The side effects were also a lot easier to handle than the afatinib, although I still some. I…
https://lungcancercanada.ca/stories-of-inspiration/dave-nits…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Nitsche’s first treatment was the targeted therapy afatinib, which lasted about three months.After six years, Nitsche started taking amivantamab, also called Rybrevant in the article. He receives the …
https://www.el-balad.com/17004022

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — His treatment journey includes therapies like afatinib, Tagrisso, and Rybrevant, highlighting the importance of resilience and adaptability. Nitsche emphasizes early screening and demonstrates that a …
https://www.curetoday.com/view/a-story-of-staying-active-aft…

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Claim 10: “The fluid turned out to be cancerous.”

CORROBORATED

Both Lung Cancer Canada and other reports confirm that the fluid behind his eye was tested and found to be cancerous.

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web search NEUTRAL — Dave Nitsche. Your Comprehensive Guide to Lung Cancer.The fluid behind my eye was tested and it turned out to be cancerous. I was sent for further testing and to see a lung specialist after a scan, an…
https://lungcancercanada.ca/stories-of-inspiration/dave-nits…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Three weeks after Nitsche's eye was removed, and two months after his vision began to change, Nitsche had an appointment with another doctor. "I went to the oncologist and he sat me down and says, 'Yo…
https://www.aol.com/articles/non-smoker-stage-4-lung-1737323…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — How Craigslist Works Craigslist is the perfect place to find items on the cheap...
https://www.lifewire.com/around-the-web-4781469

schedule

Claim 11: “There are things around your home that can increase your risk, such as radon gas, asbestos and volatile organic compounds like benzene and formaldehyde.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 12: “The Calgary project manager, a non-smoker, was told he only had a year or two to live.”

CORROBORATED

Sources confirm he is from Calgary, a non-smoker, and was initially given a prognosis of 12 to 24 months (one to two years) to live.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — He was initially given 12 to 24 months to live. An experimental treatment later helped him live several years beyond that prognosis. After a year on amivantamab, Nitsche said his scans were looking “v…
https://www.el-balad.com/17004022

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Dave Nitsche. Your Comprehensive Guide to Lung Cancer.Given I was a very active triathlete, runner and cyclist, and had no previous serious health issues, the diagnosis came as a massive shock to me.
https://lungcancercanada.ca/stories-of-inspiration/dave-nits…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The share of smokers among the world population is falling, and because smoking is such a large health problem today, this is one of the most positive developments in global health. It makes it possib…
https://ourworldindata.org/smoking

schedule

Claim 13: “The Ironman finisher works with the Man Up To Cancer support group and Lung Cancer Canada”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.