IRISH darts ace Mick McGowan enters the Skybet World Grand Prix this week looking to put behind him nine months of worry over a blood condition.
McGowan was diagnosed in January as suffering from hemochromatosis, an iron overload in his blood stream.
The Balbriggan-based player, 36, tumbled out of the world's top 32 players whilst undergoing treatment for the problem, which saw him give 25 pints of blood over the course of eight months.
However, he was told last week that the treatment has been a success, and he is now looking to concentrate on his darts career.
"I was diagnosed with hemochromatosis, which is where the iron levels are too high in your blood," said McGowan, who ironically carries the "Magnet" nickname.
"Most people have a natural balance of about 50 ferritins, which is the iron count, and mine was at 2,500!
"It was chronically high and the only treatment really is to take the blood out and keep thinning down the iron.
"I've been to the hospital pretty much every week since January to get a pint of blood taken and last week I got the all-clear.
"I've got to go every three months now to have a check and make sure it hasn't gone too high again."
McGowan slipped to 49th in the PDC Order of Merit during that time, only two places above Stamullen's Jacko Barry - who he faces in the first round of the World Grand Prix.
"It did affect me and what you get along with it is chronic fatigue and aches and pains in your joints," revealed McGowan.
"Although I don't like to make excuses, it's meant I've not been able to practice properly because I was feeling tired or unwell.
"I've not done anywhere near the amount of work I'd liked to have done on my game in the last 18 months, when I was hoping to kick on after getting into the top 32.
"All of a sudden I was finding it more difficult to work hard and get my game right, and as defeats came along with it your confidence goes and you start to lose the love of the game.
"Thankfully that's all been sorted out now and I feel back to myself now."
McGowan flies to PDC tournaments with Barry and mentored him during his early months on the PDC circuit in 2007.
"Obviously with travelling together and being friends you can look at it in two ways," said McGowan. "One of us will have to go out, but then again one of us will go through.
"Whenever the draw for a major competition is done, everyone wants to avoid Phil Taylor and probably James Wade at the moment too, but the draw is just that and you get on with it.
"It's a match like any other for me and afterwards we'll still be mates whatever happens.
"We're on the circuit together every week and have drawn each other a couple of times, but I have a lot of friends on the circuit and when you play any match you have to be professional about it and make sure you do your job.
"I don't see it being hard to put the friendship aside. Come Tuesday morning I'll prepare for the match and play to get into the second round."
McGowan made his World Grand Prix debut last year, losing to Terry Jenkins in the first round, but the tournament's move into the new 3,000-capacity means he has a fresh start on Tuesday.
"I suppose it's a new venue for everybody," he added. "None of us have played in the arena before so nobody has any advantage over anyone else.
"From what I hear, it's a fabulous new arena and I'm really looking forward to it.
"There's one coach full coming from Balbriggan to watch me at the moment and I think they're working on taking a second coach too.
"I know there will be quite a lot of people there so it should be a good day."
Tickets for the Skybet World Grand Prix are still available from the Citywest Hotel Box Office on 00353 1401 0505 or via darts09@citywesthotel.ie.