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Dwyane Wade has shared that he’s feeling ‘strong and healthy’ following his battle with cancer. The basketball icon revealed he’s now ‘free’ from the disease during an appearance on TODAY.
Wade, 43, opened up about receiving the shocking diagnosis during a routine checkup with his doctor. Earlier this year, the athlete revealed he had 40 percent of one of his kidneys removed after discovering a cancerous tumor.
At the time of the appointment that changed his life, Wade said he felt ‘pretty healthy,’ though he had been experiencing stomach pain and changes in his urination.
He shared: ‘I mentioned having a slow stream, where sometimes my urine would come out a little slow. I also had some cramps and occasional pain in my stomach that I didn’t fully understand. But I didn’t think much of it. So, when I finally went in, I said, ‘I just want to know everything.’
Wade’s doctor recommended an MRI to further investigate the pain, which ultimately led to his cancer diagnosis.
He explained: ‘She told me it was very early, but they thought they saw something on my kidneys. I didn’t go in for my kidneys—I was there to check out my stomach and prostate.’
The doctor advised him to undergo more scans and consult a specialist about the findings.
The superstar athlete’s second MRI revealed a mass on his kidney, which left him ‘panicking’ at the thought of cancer and struggling to accept the diagnosis.
Wade recalled: ‘Immediately, they said, ‘We don’t know if it’s cancerous, but there’s something on there. You’re a young man, and we just want to make sure you can continue living a healthy lifestyle.’
He continued: ‘Now I’m processing the possibility of kidney surgery. I’ve had surgeries on my knees, on my shoulder, but it feels a lot more real when it’s something inside your body.’
After careful consideration, Wade decided to go ahead with the surgery.
He explained: ‘My doctor said, if this is cancer, in the next five or ten years, it could spread not just through your kidneys but to your lungs and eventually your brain. That’s when I knew it was really serious.’
Wade underwent surgery in December 2023, with his wife, Gabrielle Union, and his father by his side offering support
After his surgery, Wade experienced excruciating pain but, feeling ‘prideful,’ he didn’t want his wife and kids to see him at a ‘weak’ moment in his life.
Eventually, Wade learned that the lesion was Stage 1 cancer.
He expressed, ‘Thank God we caught it early. It wasn’t something that had a chance to grow. It was about 3 centimeters on my kidney.’
Reflecting on overcoming the health scare, Wade shared that it made him realize what was truly ‘important’ in life.
He explained: ‘I needed to sit down and think about my life, where I was, where I wanted to go, what mattered, and what didn’t. It really made me reevaluate everything.’
