Olympic Gold Medalist Reveals Cancer Diagnosis

Swimmer Nathan Adrian hopes to 'break the stigma of discussing men's health issues'
By Arden Dier,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 25, 2019 9:34 AM CST
Olympic Gold Medalist Reveals Cancer Diagnosis
US swimmer Nathan Adrian, left, reacts after anchoring his team to the gold medal in the men's 4x100m medley relay final during the Pan Pacific swimming championships in Tokyo, on Aug. 12, 2018.   (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)

Five-time US Olympic gold medalist Nathan Adrian is aiming for a sixth finish atop the podium in Tokyo in 2020—cancer or no cancer. "Life … can come at you hard," the 30-year-old swimmer wrote in an Instagram post in which he revealed a testicular cancer diagnosis. "Something didn't seem quite right," wrote the three-time Olympian and eight-time medalist, per Sports Illustrated. "On the bright side, we caught it early, I have already started treatment and the prognosis is good." The native of Bremerton, Washington, wrote that he was "scheduled for surgery early next week" and "will be back in the water in a few short weeks with my sights fully set on Tokyo!"

"Along the way, I hope to share my journey in an effort to help break the stigma of discussing men’s health issues," Adrian continued, sharing a photo of himself in a hospital bed alongside wife Hallie Ivester, whom he married in September, per People. "I've realized that too often we tend to avoid these important topics, ignore the potential warning signs, and put off getting the medical help that we may need." Adrian has four gold medals and a silver in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay, plus another gold in the 100-meter freestyle at the 2012 London Olympics, according to his Team USA profile. He also won two bronze medals in the 100-meter freestyle and 50-meter freestyle at the 2016 Olympics in Brazil. (Another Olympic athlete was murdered.)

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