*Former NBA player Jason Collins has revealed he is battling Stage 4 glioblastoma, one of the most aggressive forms of brain cancer.
In 2013, Collins became the first openly gay active NBA player. According to reports, the 47-year-old shared the news of his cancer battle in an interview with ESPN, noting that he first began noticing symptoms over the summer and initially tried to push through them.
By August, however, his condition made it difficult to even pack for a trip to the US Open with his husband. A CT scan revealed the full extent of his diagnosis.
The tumor is deemed unresectable, meaning surgery could not remove it completely without altering Collins significantly. He shared that the standard prognosis for his condition is “only 11 to 14 months.” Despite this, he remains determined to pursue innovative treatments.
Scroll to continue reading
“Because my tumor is unresectable, going solely with the ‘standard of care’ — radiation and TMZ — the average prognosis is only 11 to 14 months. If that’s all the time I have left, I’d rather spend it trying a course of treatment that might one day be a new standard of care for everyone,” he said.
Collins drew parallels between his cancer battle and the moment he came out as the first openly gay active player in the NBA.
“After I came out, someone I really respect told me that my choice to live openly could help someone who I might never meet. I’ve held onto that for years. And if I can do that again now, then that matters,” he said.
MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: Funky Dineva Reveals Prostate Cancer Diagnosis and Sends a Strong Health Message | WATCH
Sign up for our Free daily newsletter HERE.
