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Former NBA star Dwyane Wade has revealed that he had a cancerous tumor removed from his kidney.
During the latest episode of his "The WY Network" podcast, Wade spoke out for the first time about having 40 percent of his kidney removed in 2023.
Wade had put off getting physical for years, but he visited the doctor after experiencing stomach issues, cramps, and slow urination. The Hall of Fame basketball player said his dad Dwyane Wade Sr.’s journey with prostate cancer also inspired him to go to the doctor.
“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?’ ” Wade recalled on his podcast.
Doctors performed a full-body scan, revealing that Wade had a "cyst/tumor" on one of his kidneys.
“And the doctor was like, ‘You need to have kidney surgery,’" Wade said.
After getting multiple opinions, Wade decided to undergo surgery in December 2023.
“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 said.
After removing half of his kidney, doctors determined that the tumor was cancerous.
The status of Wade's current health remains unclear. The NBA champion said he saw the true meaning of family while going through surgery.
“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," Wade said.
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