Dwyane Wade remembers how a routine check became a diagnosis of cancer that changed the life that forced him to face his own mortality and finally led to the elimination of 40% of his kidney.
The 43 -year -old basketball player opened on his health test in the January 30 episode of his podcast, “The Why with Dwyane Wade”, sharing that what began as a desire to verify minor health concerns, including the Stomach discomfort and a weaker urine current led doctors to discover a tumor in their right kidney.
Wade, who is married to actor Gabrielle Union, revealed that he had not stayed up to date with regular medical check -ups since he retired from the NBA in 2019. However, when his father underwent surgery, he decided to program a exam full body for yourself. (Wade did not specify the type of surgery that his father underwent or the reason for her).
Initially, Wade did not expect anything serious, just some answers to some questions.
“Why does my p — come out slow? Why is my transmission not powerful? Why is it a bit weak? Wade remembered asking himself.
With the health history of his father weighing his mind, Wade opted for a full -body exploration, which led to a surprising revelation: a tumor in his kidney.
“I didn’t enter my kidneys,” Wade said. “But because I did the full body scan, they saw something.”
The tumor could not biopsied, and surgery was the only way to confirm if it was cancerous. Then, on December 18, 2023, Wade underwent surgery to eliminate 40% of his kidney, a movement that turned out to save his life.
“Thank God that I did the surgery, right?” Wade explained. “Because the tumor was cancerous.”
For Wade, the experience after the operation turned out to be more than a physical challenge. He also put it in an unknown place of vulnerability.
“I think it was the first time that my family, my dad, my children, they saw me weak,” Wade admitted, who is a five -year -old father. “That moment was probably the weakest I’ve felt in my life.”
“Does something you never want to do as a man? You never want your family to see you weak, ”he continued.
Kidney tumors can be treated through surgery or other therapies, explains Cleveland Clinic on their website. Early detection is vital for success in the treatment and recovery of kidney cancer.