Trailblazing Gay Athlete Jason Collins Shares Terminal Brain Cancer Diagnosis
Jason Collins has shared some incredibly difficult news with the world. The former NBA centre recently revealed he has been diagnosed with Stage 4 glioblastoma. It is an aggressive and often fatal form of brain cancer. At 47 years old, doctors have given him a prognosis of just 11 to 14 months.
The diagnosis comes after the NBA announced in September that Collins was receiving treatment for a brain tumour. He told ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne that his specific condition cannot be treated with standard chemotherapy. Surgery is also not an option because the tumour cannot be safely removed.
History maker on the court.
We remember Collins as a true pioneer in professional sports. Back in 2013, he became the first active NBA player to come out as gay. He played for seven different teams between 2001 and 2014. His courage paved the way for greater visibility of LGBTQIA+ athletes in major leagues.
Before retiring in 2014 he left a lasting mark on basketball culture. Just this past May he married Brunson Green. Green is a film producer and has been his partner for 11 years.
Fighting for the future.
Glioblastoma is statistically one of the deadliest cancers. The five-year survival rate sits at just five per cent. Collins first noticed something was wrong in August when he began experiencing severe brain fog.
Despite the grim statistics Collins is not giving up. He wrote in an essay for ESPN that he is currently pursuing a new course of treatment in Singapore. His focus remains on the bigger picture even as he faces this personal challenge.
“If what I’m doing doesn’t save me, I feel good thinking that it might help someone else who gets a diagnosis like this one day,” Collins said.
