Dwyane Wade Opens Up About the Moment He Got ‘Scared’ During His Cancer Battle: ‘I Knew It Was Serious’

The NBA legend underwent surgery to remove part of his right kidney in December 2023.Dwyane Wade is sharing the deeply personal story of his cancer diagnosis — and the moment it all hit him just how serious it was. During an appearance on Today with Jenna & Friends on March 11, the former Miami Heat star, 43, reflected on how his journey began and what it was like facing something so life-altering while being known as the “strong one.”

Wake-Up Call

Wade explained that his wake-up call came when he realized cancer ran in his family. “A few years ago, I found out both my father and grandfather had prostate cancer,” he said. “So when I turned 40, I went to the doctor and said, ‘I want to get checked for everything.’ I also told them about some symptoms I’d been feeling.”Among those symptoms were stomach cramps and pain, along with difficulty when using the bathroom. Soon after, Wade got a phone call from his doctor that changed his world. “She called and said they saw something on my kidney — they weren’t sure if it was cancer, but it was there,” Wade recalled. “That was the first time I had to really face the idea that I might have cancer.”

Feeling Vulnerable

It wasn’t until a third doctor gave him a clear and honest assessment that reality truly sank in. “He told me, ‘We won’t know for sure until we operate and remove it. But we want to get it out before anything can spread,'” Wade shared. “That’s when I got scared. That’s when I realized, this is real. “From that moment, Wade admitted his mind began to race. “You think about everything like, what if I don’t wake up from surgery? They told me I could only have two people in the waiting room — one to bring me in, and one to be there when I woke up. It was heavy. “One of the first people Wade turned to was his father, who had already faced his own fight with cancer. But for Wade, known to the world as a fearless competitor, showing vulnerability wasn’t easy.

“I’ve always been seen as the strong one — the confident guy, the champion with trophies over his head,” Wade said. “But this time, I knew I wasn’t going to be that person. I was going to be weak, and that scared me.” Before going into surgery, Wade and his father tried to ease the tension by joking around, but both knew what was at stake. “We were cracking jokes to keep it light, but deep down, we were both nervous,” he admitted. Coming out of surgery, Wade said he experienced pain like never before. “It was a pain I had never felt in my life,” he said. And as someone who takes pride in being tough, the thought of letting his wife, Gabrielle Union, see him in that vulnerable state was daunting.