NBA Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade reveals shocking cancer diagnosis: 'I found strength in my family'

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Dwyane Wade opened up on his cancer shock diagnosis, more than a year after undergoing kidney surgery.

The NBA legend revealed that doctors removed a cancerous tumor from his right kidney on December 18, 2023, which accounted for 40 percent of the organ.

Dwyane Wade says symptoms made him seek medical help

Dwyane Wade shared details of his health battle on Thursday's episode of his podcast 'The Why With Dwyane Wade,' explaining how early symptoms prompted him to seek medical help.

Before his diagnosis, Wade experienced unusual changes in his body that made him undergo a full-body scan.

"Why is my piss coming out slow, why is my stream ain’t powerful? Why is it a little weak?" Wade said on the podcast, as per Page Six.

The Olympian described his health battle as the "weakest point" in his life.

"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 said.

Dwyane Wade found strength in family support

Dwayne Wade admitted that the experience was challenging, especially when he was alone.

"That moment was probably the weakest point I’ve ever felt in my life," Wade said, adding that he "was struggling" by himself.

Despite the difficult journey, Wade said he found strength in his loved ones.

"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," Wade said. 

Wade, a father of five, shared how the experience changed his perspective. "As a man, you never want your family to see you weak," he said.

"Don’t want to be perceived weak, don’t want to be seen in your weakest moments but I had to," he added.

Wade continued, "In my weakness, I found strength in my family."

Dwyane Wade explains the need for surgery, says he had to make a 'personal decision'

Dwayne Wade said doctors could not conduct a biopsy of the affected area, making surgery necessary.

He had to make a personal decision as it was not possible to know if the tumor or cyst in his kidney was cancerous or not.

He needed surgery to remove it and prevent it from spreading, in case it turned out to be cancerous. "I had a personal decision to make," he said, as per USA Today.

Wade said he needed surgery "because it's something that needs to be removed so it doesn’t spread. Tests after surgery confirmed that the tumor was cancerous. 

Following his NBA career, Wade is involved in entertainment production, broadcasting and podcasting. He is a partial owner of the Utah Jazz.