On the latest episode of Dwyane Wade‘s The WY Network podcast, the Hall of Famer revealed for the first time that he had a cancerous tumor removed from his kidney over a year ago.
Wade also shared that 40% of his right kidney was removed. The diagnosis, which he described as “shocking,” came after years of him putting off going for his annual physical. The episode was first shared with PEOPLE.
After gaining inspiration from his father’s own bout with prostate cancer, Wade went in for a check-up due to stomach issues, cramps, and slow urination.
The retired NBA star recalled, “On the process of checking, like, ‘Why is my piss coming out slow, why is my stream ain’t powerful? Why is it a little weak?’”
It was later that a full-body scan revealed that there was a “cyst/tumor” on one of his kidneys, Wade shared. “And the doctor was like, ‘You need to have kidney surgery.’”
Wade did get multiple opinions from other doctors who agreed with the initial diagnosis and he had the surgery on Dec. 18, 2023. After removing nearly half of his kidney, doctors confirmed that the tumor was cancerous. He didn’t speak on the current state of his health.
The experience led Wade to understand the true meaning of family. “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,” Wade confessed.
He continued, “That moment was probably the weakest point I’ve ever felt in my life. The moment I was by myself, I was struggling, dog.” Wade also confirmed that his decision to have the surgery was the right one.
“I had a personal decision to make, and what it was was, ‘If this is cancerous, if this tumor, this cyst is cancerous, on your kidney, you’re 41 years old, you probably need surgery because it’s something that needs to be removed so it doesn’t spread,’” Wade shared.
He spoke on what it was like for him to have his family see him so “weak.”
“As a man, you never want your family to see you weak,” Wade said. “Don’t want to be perceived weak, don’t want to be seen in your weakest moments but I had to. 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. 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.”
Leave a comment