Former NBA player Jason Collins has Stage 4 glioblastoma. Collins — who in 2013 became the first openly gay active player in a men’s North American sports league — revealed his diagnosis to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne.
Collins’ diagnosis comes months after his family announced he was dealing with a brain tumor. They did not provide additional details at the time, asking for “support and prayers.”
Collins, 47, explained that his family intentionally put out a vague statement, as it wanted to protect his privacy while he was “mentally unable to speak for myself.” Collins said he first started experiencing symptoms in the summer, but tried to fight through them at first. But things came to a head in August, when Collins couldn’t focus enough to pack for a trip to the US Open with his husband.
After undergoing a CT scan, it was determined Collins had Stage 4 glioblastoma. Given the shape of his cancer, it could not be fully removed without Collins coming out of surgery “different,” he told ESPN.
Since his tumor can’t be operated on, Collins said the standard prognosis is “only 11 to 14 months.”
“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 vowed to seek out new, inventive treatment methods in the hopes that he can find something that helps him, or helps the next person diagnosed with Stage 4 glioblastoma. Due to his NBA career, Collins said money was not an issue and that he’s willing to go anywhere in the world to seek treatment.
Collins drew parallels to when he decided to come out as gay. In both scenarios, he might be able to help people he’s never met, Collins explained.
“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.”
Collins was drafted by the Houston Rockets with the No. 18 overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft. He never played for the franchise, however, as he was traded to the New Jersey Nets. Collins spent a total of 13 seasons in NBA, seeing time with six different franchises.
The majority of his time came with the Nets, which he later joined during his final NBA season. He saw time in 22 games during the 2013-14 season, averaging 7.8 minutes per game in Brooklyn. At the end of the season, Collins announced his retirement from the NBA.
Read the full article here