NBA legend Dwyane Wade says he’s in the best shape he’s ever been now that he’s retired. And staying on top of his health, he shared on his podcast earlier this year, led to the discovery of a cancerous tumor on his kidney in 2023.
“I didn’t go in for my kidney. I was going in because I had little pains in my stomach. I was going in because my urine stream was a little low. I was going in because my dad had prostate cancer,” Wade said during a recent interview at the New York Times Well Festival.
“I was going in because I was 40 now, I wanted to live a long life. And being proactive got me to a place where I was able to see that I had a tumor on my kidney.”
When Wade’s father was being treated for prostate cancer, he learned that the cause of his grandfather’s death was prostate cancer. This realization compelled Wade to consult with his doctor.
“In my family, in my community, we don’t share a lot of things about our health history,” Wade said.
“Because of that, I decided at 40 years old, I was like, ‘Alright, let me go and start. Let me go look at my body.'”
If you have a primary care doctor, put them to work.
During a routine check-up with his primary care doctor, Wade expressed concerns about his family medical history and requested to have multiple tests done, including MRIs throughout his entire body. He received a call back from his doctor’s office not long after with news that he had a tumor on his right kidney.
The tumor could not be biopsied to determine whether it was benign or cancerous unless it was surgically removed, Wade explained during the podcast episode. After consulting with multiple doctors about his options, Wade went forward with surgery to remove 40% of his kidney in December of 2023.
“Thank God that I did do the surgery,” Wade said during the episode. “Because the tumor was cancerous.”
Two years later, Wade is opening up about his experience in hopes of inspiring others to be proactive about their health.
“Everyone doesn’t have the abilities and the access that everyone else has. But if you have a primary care doctor, put them to work,” Wade said at the festival.
“Don’t let them just come, bring you in and put you out the door, because that’s what you want to hear. No, ask the right questions.”
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