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Dwyane Wade was diagnosed with cancer in 2023 and secretly battled the disease, the retired NBA legend revealed two years after its detection. In Touch is taking readers inside the moment he found out he had cancer, his tumor removal surgery and shares updates on his health and how he’s doing now.
When Was Dwyane Wade Diagnosed With Cancer?
Dwyane revealed his cancer diagnosis for the first time during the January 29, 2025, episode of “The Why With Dwyane Wade” podcast. After putting off getting a physical for years, the hoopster said he finally saw a doctor in 2023 after suffering from stomach issues, cramps and slow urination.
“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?’” Dwyane told cohost Bob Metelus of his health concerns.
The Chicago, Illinois, native underwent a full body scan and a tumor was found on one of his kidneys.
“What I had on my kidney was a cyst — a tumor,” Dwyane explained. “It was not nothing that could be biopsied. It wasn’t anything that they could test unless they surgically went in and removed it.”
Following his podcast revelation, Dwyane revealed that the cancer was caught in its earliest stage, but it still left him so shaken.
“Stage one cancer … those words hit hard. December 2023 meant losing 40 percent of my kidney. It’s a scary thing to face,” he wrote next to an Instagram post on January 30, 2025, showing the scars on his abdomen left by the surgery.
Dwyane Wade Underwent a Partial Kidney Removal to Treat His Cancer
Dwyane sought the opinion of multiple other doctors, who agreed surgery was necessary to remove the tumor. He underwent the removal procedure on December 18, 2023.
“I had a personal decision to make, and what it was, ‘If this is cancerous … you’re 41 years old, you probably need surgery because it’s something that needs to be removed so it doesn’t spread,'” the three-time NBA champion told listeners.
“To find out that at 41 years old, pretty healthy guy, I had cancer — thank God I did do the surgery,” Dwyane continued. “I have one kidney, and I have one kidney that is 60 percent. They took 40 percent of my kidney to make sure they got all the cancer off of it.”
Dwyane Wade Had a Family History of Cancer
The part-owner of the Utah Jazz’s father, Dwyane Wade Sr., battled prostate cancer, which made the NBA legend more aware of getting checked for the disease.
“My dad’s own health journey taught me the importance of being proactive,” Dwyane wrote on Instagram. “Fellas, this @wynetwork episode is personal. It’s my story, a reminder to face your fears, prioritize your health and get checked. Also, we never know what battles others are fighting.”
Dwyane Wade’s Cancer Surgery Left Him at His ‘Weakest Point’
“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,” Dwyane shared on his podcast. “That moment was probably the weakest point I’ve ever felt in my life.”
Dwyane married actress Gabrielle Union in August 2014. The couple welcomed a daughter, Kaavia James, via a surrogate in November 2018. Dwyane shares a son, Zaire, and a daughter, Zaya, with ex-wife Siohvaughn Funches. He also shares a son, Xavier, with ex-girlfriend Aja Metoyer. In addition, Dwyane is the legal guardian of his now-adult nephew, Dahveon Morris.
The A Father First: How My Life Became Bigger Than Basketball author stressed how much strength he drew from his family during his weakest time.
“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,” Dwyane shared.
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