Deion Sanders Reveals Cancer Diagnosis and Surgery
On Monday, University of Colorado football head coach Deion Sanders shared some deeply personal health news. He disclosed that he underwent surgery to remove his bladder after receiving a cancer diagnosis during the offseason.
During a press conference with medical specialists, Sanders emphasized the importance of regular health check-ups. “Everyone, everyone, they’re going to be checked out,” he said. “If they hadn’t been tested on something else, they wouldn’t have stumbled upon this. It grew so quickly, so make sure you get the right care. But check yourself.”
Reflecting on his health, Sanders mentioned, “Slowly and surely, I’ve come back to where I can, I’m strong, ready. I’m probably down 12 pounds. I’ll do it right. It’s a tremendous journey and I’m grateful that God is so good. I don’t know how good He is for me to be here.”
His health issues did prevent him from participating in some offseason activities with the team.
Colorado Assistant Athletic Trainers, Lauren Askibold and Dr. Janet Kukreja, explained how the diagnosis and subsequent surgery unfolded. Askibold noted that Sanders had previously undergone an ACT scan to check for blood clots. Back in 2021, he experienced a severe incident where two of his toes were removed due to a blood clot.
Initially, no alarming results came from Sanders’ first tests. However, after Kukreja identified the tumor, they advised him to see a urologist.
“We proceeded with removing the bladder tumor. It was a very high grade, and it had entered the bladder wall, not in the muscle layer,” Kukreja explained.
She was also happy to report that, following the surgery, Sanders is now cancer-free.
In addition to the press conference, a video released in May captured his health journey, documented by his son, Deion Sanders Jr. At that time, Sanders expressed uncertainty about his mental and emotional state, saying, “I don’t know if I’m mentally or emotionally ready. Last night was tough. Yesterday was tough because I had to make a will. That wasn’t easy at all because I thought I might not be here.”
