Dwyane Wade is cancer-free, but Gabrielle Union says the battle was a ‘challenge’

Gabrielle Union is sharing an emotional update on her husband Dwyane Wade’s health—he is officially cancer-free. Earlier this year, the basketball legend opened up about his 2023 health scare, which led to a cancer diagnosis. And while Union told the co-hosts of The View that Wade is “better now,” she admitted the journey took a toll on her mind and their relationship.

“I was in complete shock when he told me the diagnosis. The moment you hear ‘cancer,’ you freeze, imagining the absolute worst-case scenario. I’ve had so many friends who are cancer survivors,” she shared during her appearance. “I didn’t go there; I went straight to, ‘He’s gone.’”

The news was even harder to process because Wade chose to keep his diagnosis “very under the radar,” initially withholding it from even some of his family members.

“He’s had the surgery, and he’s cancer-free, but it was a challenge,” Union added.

As previously reported by theGrio, Wade reflected on his health journey in January during an episode of his podcast, “The Why with Dwyane Wade.” While discussing men’s wellness, the NBA Hall of Famer revealed that doctors discovered a tumor in his kidney after he had postponed his annual physical for some time.

“I had a personal decision to make. If this tumor, this cyst, is cancerous, at 41 years old, I’d need surgery because it had to be removed before it spread,” he explained. “I think that was the first time my family—my dad, my kids—saw me weak. That moment was probably the weakest I’ve ever felt in my life.”

Though Wade kept his diagnosis private at first, he later acknowledged how it affected his marriage. While celebrating his 10-year anniversary with Union in 2024, he admitted that “year nine was hard” for them. Now, Union is shedding more light on that statement.

“When he mentioned year nine being hard, he hadn’t yet shared his cancer diagnosis and journey, so now we can put it in context,” she said on “Jenna and Friends”. “Obviously, getting that diagnosis was traumatic for him. Facing your own mortality in your early forties makes you wonder, ‘Am I going to be here to see my family? Who am I without this big life and healthy body?’”

She also touched on the ripple effect it had on their family, including their daughter Kaavia James, 6, Wade’s children Zaire, 22, Zaya, 17, Xavier, 11, and his nephew, Dahveon Morris, 21, for whom he is the legal guardian.

While Wade was initially hesitant to let his family into his healing process, not wanting “to be perceived as weak,” Union emphasized how crucial their support was.

“That level of vulnerability—to go through the removal of a significant part of his kidney and all that healing requires—he needed us to be okay with his vulnerability. But more than that, he needed to be okay with it himself,” she shared. “It was a challenge to give grace and receive it… It was a challenge.”