University of Colorado football coach Deion Sanders on Monday opened up about being diagnosed with bladder cancer and having to go under the knife to remove the tumorous organ.
Per ESPN, Sanders, 57, disclosed that no traces of cancer have been found after he underwent the surgery to remove his bladder, adding that he will now return to his coaching duties this season.
Sanders was with Dr. Janet Kukreja, the director of urological oncology at University of Colorado Cancer Center, and Colorado team trainer Lauren Askevold when he addressed reporters in the Touchdown Club at the Dal Ward Center.
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Kukreja confirmed that Sanders was “cured of cancer,” and that is a “word” she doesn’t use “lightly.” Kukreja said that a new bladder for Sanders was made with a portion of his small intestine.
“This was not an easy task. … It was dynamic. It was tough. It wasn’t a cakewalk. It wasn’t easy,” Sanders said. “That was a fight, but we made it.”
Sanders also disclosed that he lost around 25 pounds. Askevold said that the tumor was found in Sanders’ bladder when he underwent a usual routine vascular exam as a result of issues with blood clots in his legs.
“He never folded one time and never wavered,” Askevold said. “You couldn’t ask for a better patient because he wants to get up and get going right. So it’s been awesome. It’s been a hectic journey, but there’s a blessing very in disguise with all this.”
Sanders said he largely remained mum about his cancer diagnosis and even kept the details away from many relatives – including his sons Shedeur and Shilo – as well as his closest friends, ESPN reported. Shedeur, 23, and Shilo, 25, are preparing for their rookie NFL season.
“They didn’t know what the extent of it was,” Sanders said, “… so they could be focused on making the team and not focused on dad.”
Sanders also jokingly touched on how his lifestyle had altered after undergoing the surgery to remove his bladder. “I can’t pee like I used to,” he said while laughing.
“… I depend on Depends. … I’m making a joke out of it, but it is real. It is real. It is real. If you see a port-a-potty on the sideline, it is real, I’m just telling you. You’re going to see one at practice, on the sideline [in games].”
The 57-year-old Pro Football Hall of Famer said that he hopes opening up about his diagnosis would encourage people to get checked, adding that his jokes about bladder cancer and the surgery will spur people who are in his situation to not feel embarrassed about their condition.
“Get checked out, get checked out,” Sanders said. “It could have been a whole other kind of gathering if I didn’t. … Everyone knows someone who is affected or infected by the ‘C’ word.”
This isn’t the first time Sanders has experienced a health setback. In 2021, two toes on his left foot were amputated due to his blood clot issues.
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