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Dwyane Wade is pictured at the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscar Party on March 2 in Beverly Hills, California. Three-time NBA champion Dwyane Wade opened up about his kidney cancer diagnosis and how he learned to lean on the strength of his loved ones in an interview with “Today” show’s Jenna Bush Hager. (Neilson Barnard/Getty Images via CNN Newsource)
By Julia Andersen, CNN
(CNN) — Three-time NBA champion Dwyane Wade opened up about his kidney cancer diagnosis and how he learned to lean on the strength of his loved ones in an interview with “Today” show’s Jenna Bush Hager.
Wade’s health journey began a few years ago when his father was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He later learned his grandfather also had prostate cancer.
After thinking about the potential genetic link, the Miami Heat legend decided to ask his doctor about some symptoms he had been experiencing – including stomach cramps and trouble urinating.
After talking to his doctor, Wade said he went in for imaging which showed a mass on his kidney. However, they couldn’t know if it was cancerous unless he went in for surgery. That’s when his fear set in.
“Now, I’m scared. That’s when I knew that it was really serious. You start thinking about everything. You start thinking about not coming out of it,” Wade said on “Today.”
“In my family, no one has ever really experienced me being weak. I’ve always been the strong one, the most confident one, the world champion that’s lifted the trophies over his head. That’s the image. But this was a moment where I knew I was gonna be very uncertain.”
Aged 41, the Hall of Famer got the call no one imagines getting: he had kidney cancer. Luckily for Wade, his proactivity meant that it was caught at Stage 1 – the earliest stage, when the cancer has not spread anywhere else in the body.
According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms of kidney cancer over time may include: “Blood in the urine, which may appear pink, red or cola colored; loss of appetite; pain in the side or back that doesn’t go away; tiredness; unexplained weight loss.”
Being proactive and being vulnerable
Wade said that he hopes sharing his kidney cancer journey can help others to take initiative when it comes to their own health.
“Being proactive, going in and not being too afraid to open up and tell someone what you’re feeling inside,” was his advice to others when it comes to their health.
“You know a lot of us are prideful. A lot of men in my life, a lot of men in my community, and in the Black community, we’re so prideful.”
He urged viewers to communicate with family members to learn more about their health history and getting checked out early if they have concerns.
“Going in, being proactive, and saying, ‘Hey, I want to live a long life. How do I do that?’” said Wade. “Asking all the care questions to your primary care, asking all the questions to your doctors so you know what’s possible.”
Wade is now cancer free, and he’s appreciating moments in his life all the more.
“I feel like one of the lucky ones,” he said.
The-CNN-Wire
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