Wade opted for a full-body scan something he had neglected after retiring from playing Basketball. The doctors found a tumour on his kidney.
“I didn’t go in for my kidneys, I did the full-body scan, they saw something.”
Surgery was needed to confirm if the tumour was cancerous.
“Thank God that I did do the surgery, right because the tumour was cancerous.”
Wade, shared that he had never experienced such vulnerability before.
“I think it was the first time my family, my dad, my kids, they saw me weak.”
Wade, who is a father to five, admitted;
“That moment was probably the weakest I’ve ever felt in my life. One thing you never want to do as a man? You never want your family to see you weak,” he continued.
His father, Dwyane Wade Sr., battled with prostate cancer. Dwayne says his dad’s cancer journey had taught him a lot, something he used during his own diagnosis.
“Stage 1 cancer… those words hit hard. December 2023 meant losing 40% of my kidney. It’s a scary thing to face. My dad’s own health journey taught me the importance of being proactive. Fellas, this @wynetwork episode is personal. It’s my story, a reminder to face your fears, prioritize your health and get checked. Also, we never know what battles others are fighting.”
“”What I saw in the midst of that and me going through my illness, I saw my family, who may not always talk, may not always agree. I saw everybody show up for me and be there for me,” he said. “And in that process of my weakness, I found strength in my family.”
According to Cleveland clinic,A kidney tumor is a mass or group of abnormal cells that form on your kidney. They may be benign (not cancerous) or malignant (cancerous).
These groups of people are more prone to getting Kidney tumours
- 65 or older.
- Male or assigned male at birth (AMAB).
- Black, Native American, Alaskan Native or First Nation.
Signs and symptoms of Kidney tumours include
- Blood in your pee (hematuria).
- Pain between your ribs and hips (flank) to the touch.
- Pain in your lower back.
- Loss of appetite.
- Unexplained weight loss.
- Fever.
- Anemia.
by PENINAH NJOKI
