Dwyane Wade Lost Almost Half a Kidney After Cancer Diagnosis

NBA legend Dwyane Wade, 43, is opening up about his close call with cancer.

In the last episode of his “The WY Network” podcast, obtained by People magazine, Wade revealed he underwent kidney surgery in late 2023 to remove a cancerous tumor.

Wade opted to see a doctor after he was having urination issues. He elaborated, “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?’”

After a full-body scan, Dwyane was given the “shocking” diagnosis that there was a “cyst/tumor” on one of his kidneys.

Due to the tumor, the docs recommended surgery to remove 40% of his kidney.

He said, “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.”

The decision to have surgery also gave Wade a new perspective on family. He commented, “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. That moment was probably the weakest point I’ve ever felt in my life.”

“As a man, you never want your family to see you weak,” he noted. “Don’t want to be perceived weak, don’t want to be seen in your weakest moments — but I had to.”

Dwyane, who is married to Gabrielle Union, is the father of Zaire, 22, Zaya, 17, Xavier, 11, and Kaaia.

Wade is thankful for his family, saying, “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.”