Dwyane Wade

Dwyane Wade won a trio of NBA championships, and an Olympic gold medal, during his Hall of Fame basketball career. Now Wade, 43, is inspiring hoops fans—and the public at large—to pay closer attention to their health. During a check-up a few years back, he told his primary care doctor that although he felt healthy overall, he was experiencing some stomach pain and noticed changes in his urination. Further imaging revealed a mass on his kidney: Wade underwent surgery in December 2023, and doctors discovered the lesion was, in fact, Stage 1 cancer. Recovery from the procedure was painful. But the immediate scare is now over. Most kidney cancer diagnoses, according to the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Fla., result from screenings from other health issues. So Wade has begun preaching a simple but life-saving message: Book a doctor’s visit, even if you're doing just fine. And if you feel something, say something.