CHICAGO (WGN) — Basketball Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade revealed Thursday that nearly half of one of his kidneys was removed in late 2023 after doctors found a tumor.
The Chicago native shared the story of the “shocking” diagnosis and the emotional toll it took on him on the latest episode of his “The Why” podcast.
Wade, who turned 43 earlier this month, said his father’s journey with prostate cancer inspired him to see a doctor after experiencing stomach issues, cramps and difficulty urinating. A tumor found in his right kidney was removed during a Dec. 18, 2023, procedure, he shared. It was later found to be cancerous.
Former Miami Heat NBA basketball player Dwyane Wade thanks the crowd during his statue unveiling ceremony outside Kaseya Center, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Miami, Fla. (AP Photo/Michael Laughlin)
While kidney cancer does not often cause symptoms at the onset, they can develop over time, the Mayo Clinic explains. Those signs often include blood in the urine, a loss of appetite, consistent pain in the back or side, fatigue and unexplained weight loss. It’s also unclear what can cause kidney cancer, though the Mayo Clinic says those with certain inherited conditions, or a family history of kidney disease are at a high risk.
“My own journey to have that surgery, I think it was the first time that my family, my dad, my kids, they saw me weak,” he said on the podcast. “That moment was probably the weakest point I’ve ever felt in my life.”
Wade noted that it was his family who gave him strength to persevere.
“What I saw in the midst of me going through my illness, I saw my family that may not always talk, may not always agree,” the veteran athlete said. “I saw everybody show up for me and be there for me and in that process, in my weakness, I found strength in my family.”
Wade was drafted in the first round of the NBA Draft in 2003 after playing for Marquette University in college. He spent 13 seasons with the Miami Heat before a single-season stint with the Chicago Bulls and a partial season with the Cleveland Cavaliers. The basketball star finished his career with the Heat.
The three-time NBA champion is a partial owner of the Utah Jazz.
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