Actress Gabrielle Union, 52, & Basketball Star Dwayne Wade, 43, Celebrate 11 Years of Marriage and Overcoming Tough Times, Including Wade’s Private Cancer Battle

Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade may be celebrating 11 years of marriage, but behind the smiles and shared milestones lies a story of resilience, fear, and fierce love. As they raised seven children and built a life in the public eye, the couple faced one of their most personal challenges yet—Wade’s private battle with kidney cancer, a diagnosis that tested their trust and shook the foundation of their relationship.

 

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“Eleven years of marriage and I’m still waking up next to my best friend, laughing through the adventures, dancing through the challenges,” Union shared in a heartfelt Instagram post, reflecting on their journey together.

Behind the public smiles and red carpet moments, the couple has weathered deeply personal storms—including Wade’s private battle with kidney cancer in 2023. The diagnosis came after Wade began experiencing stomach discomfort and changes in his bathroom habits, particularly when urinating. A full-body scan revealed a tumor on his kidney.

“Thank God that I did do the surgery,” Wade said on his podcast, “The Why With Dwyane Wade,” after choosing to have the tumor removed. Doctors ultimately removed 40% of his kidney, Essence Magazine reported.

What made the experience even more difficult was Wade’s decision to keep his diagnosis private, a choice that seemingly blindsided Union and strained their relationship.

“It’s a very selfish response that I had, and it caused all kinds of problems, but [so did] his need for secrecy about his cancer decisions. It just starts sowing the seeds of distrust,” Union told People Magazine, candidly acknowledging the emotional toll.

Her reaction, she explained, was rooted in fear—not just for Wade’s health, but for the future of their family.

“The decisions that he was making hurt me about his cancer. It felt like, ‘Oh, you’re trying to kill me. And I’m going to be alone raising these kids,” she said. “It just felt like he was trying to leave us—not in a marital sense, but a life and death sense. By the time he got it removed, I felt like we were more on the same page.”

Navigating Wade’s diagnosis meant juggling their roles as public figures, parents to seven children, and partners in a marriage suddenly shadowed by mortality.

“It was hard to navigate,” Union admitted. “Even though we all know plenty of survivors, immediately you go to death, immediately we all internalize his cancer. It’s our cancer.”

Despite the pain and confusion, the couple leaned into healing and grace for each other. Union later expressed deep gratitude for the support they received from loved ones and fans throughout their journey.

“Thank you to everyone who continues to pray over our union, walk beside us, and pour into our family. We don’t take it for granted. Here’s to more years of love, laughter, and everything in between.”

Supporting a Loved One Facing a Health Challenge

Research published in The Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine studied the impact of disease on family members. It found, “Most chronic diseases have similar effects on family members, including psychological and emotional functioning, disruption of leisure activities, effect on interpersonal relationships, and financial resources.”

If you have a loved one fighting a disease or cancer, SurvivorNet has some ideas to help you better support your loved one. Simple tasks like helping with household chores or running errands can do wonders for your loved one who’s diagnosed.

These tasks can make all the difference in relieving stress when the effect of chemotherapy brings on fatigue, for example. Other ideas to help your loved one battling cancer include cooking, bringing prepared meals, or doing an activity you enjoy together.

The support helps put your loved one battling a disease or cancer more at ease, as they may be overwhelmed with anxiety after a diagnosis or during intense treatment.

“There are a number of common things cancer patients can experience,” Dr. Shelly Tworoger, a researcher at Moffitt Cancer Center, told SurvivorNet.

“Anxiety, depression, financial toxicity, social isolation, and PTSD,” Dr. Tworoger said, are all emotions cancer warriors may experience and can be eased by loved ones.

If you are a caregiver of your loved one facing a diagnosis, it is important to maintain your mental and physical health.

“Caregiving is the most important job in the universe because you are there through the highs and lows,” Julie Bulger, manager of patient and family-centered care at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, told SurvivorNet.

Caregivers must also watch out for “caregiver burnout,” where stress, anger, fatigue, and illness emerge from putting another person’s needs ahead of their own.

Caregivers who struggle to care for a cancer warrior should seek out a therapist or a support group, either online or in person.

How To Help A Partner Diagnosed With Cancer

After a cancer diagnosis, it’s natural for spouses to grapple with a whirlwind of emotions — anger, grief, anxiety, and beyond. The journey ahead can feel overwhelming, but it’s important to remember that a cancer diagnosis is not a death sentence. There are strategies to navigate uncertainty, find support, and face challenges with resilience.

Some popular approaches, backed by research and many anecdotal accounts, include:

• Talking to a therapist to share feelings you’re going through
• Having candid conversations with your loved one about the diagnosis
• Researching the disease together to learn about available treatment options
• Joining a support group or connecting with others who have gone through, or are going through, the same experience

WATCH: Glenn Torchia talks about how he was there for his wife, Millie, while she battled stage 4 lung cancer

Your Role As A Caregiver

SurvivorNet has spoken with a collection of expert oncologists, social workers, and patient advocates to provide a helpful list of how cancer caregivers can help throughout the treatment journey and beyond.

Attend Doctor Visits

Throughout the treatment process, there will be many occasions when the patient receives a large amount of information at once. As a caregiver, attending as many doctor visits as possible can be a huge help. This allows you to take notes on treatment options, protocols, lifestyle changes that may be needed, and more.

Connect With a Social Worker or Patient Navigator

Ask for the patient’s medical team to connect you with a patient navigator or social worker. Many hospitals and cancer centers have specialized staff available to connect you with additional resources, which may include arranging transportation to and from doctor appointments, assisting with insurance claims, and more.

WATCH: How Patient Navigators Can Help

“Patient navigators can function differently at different hospitals,” Dr. Kathie-Ann Joseph, a surgical oncologist at NYU Langone Health’s Perlmutter Cancer Center, told SurvivorNet.

“We have a really wonderful program at [NYU] where we use lay navigators, meaning they’re not nurses — although you can use nurses or social workers, that pretty much help newly diagnosed cancer patients through the continuum of care,” Dr. Joseph added.

Additional services patient navigators may provide include:

• Attending future appointments with you
• Providing an assessment for the next steps of care
• Assisting with housing, transportation, or immigration issues
• Helping with financial issues
• Providing direction on legal issues

Help the Patient Keep Track of Their Symptoms

As mind-boggling as a cancer diagnosis can be for a spouse or loved one, it’s likely more stressful for the patient.

Sometimes, it is easier for the caregiver to monitor the patient’s symptoms than for the patient. Try to maintain an open line of communication and encourage your loved one to share their feelings regularly to help monitor symptoms.

Let the Patient Speak for Themselves Whenever Possible

As a caregiver, your role is to be the best advocate possible for the patient. While assisting them with various tasks, it is essential to allow them to maintain a sense of independence whenever possible. Cancer caregivers can help keep track of symptoms, navigate finances, and even emotions — but they should also let the person they are caring for speak up about what they genuinely need throughout the process.

“Some of the best examples that I have seen in caregivers are those spouses or loved ones who really, almost sit back and they allow the patient, or they want the patient to express what the patient feels first, rather than barging in,” gynecologic oncologist Dr. Jayanthi Lea told SurvivorNet.

“…Step back a little bit and let the patient speak for themselves. Let them express what they are feeling. That is so important for the patient’s overall quality of life and well-being,” Dr. Lea added.

Kidney Cancer Symptoms and Treatment

In the early stages, kidney cancer may not cause noticeable symptoms. However, what a patient experiences can differ widely depending on the tumor’s type, size, and location. Below are some potential symptoms and side effects that individuals with kidney cancer might encounter:

• Blood in the urine
• Lower back pain on one side
• Tiredness and fatigue
• Weight loss
• Reduced appetite
• Lumps or growths on the lower back or the side
• High temperature and fever that doesn’t seem to go away
• Anemia: low counts of red blood cells

Surgery is often the primary approach for treating kidney tumors, with the goal of fully removing the cancer. However, this option is typically considered when the tumor is still localized—meaning it’s a manageable size and hasn’t spread (metastasized) to other parts of the body. There are several types of surgical procedures used to treat kidney cancer, including:

• Radical nephrectomy
• Partial nephrectomy
• Cytoreductive nephrectomy
• Laparoscopic and robotic surgery
• Mastectomy

Treatment Options for Kidney Cancer: What You Should Know

Kidney cancer can be treated through a range of approaches—each designed to target cancer cells in different ways. Your care team will help determine the best path forward based on your diagnosis, overall health, and personal preferences. Here’s a breakdown of key treatment options:

• Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA): This minimally invasive procedure uses a needle inserted directly into the tumor. Electric currents and radiofrequency waves heat and destroy the cancerous tissue from within.
• Cryoablation: In this technique, extremely cold probes are placed into the tumor to freeze and kill cancer cells. It’s often used for small tumors or patients who aren’t candidates for surgery.
• Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy uses powerful medications to stop cancer cells from growing, dividing, or surviving. While kidney cancer is often resistant to traditional chemotherapy, certain drugs may be used in specific cases or in combination with other therapies.
• Radiation Therapy: High-energy particles or waves are used to damage and destroy cancer cells. The two main types are:
  External Beam Radiation: Delivered from outside the body, targeting the tumor with precision.
  Internal Radiation (Brachytherapy): Places radioactive material directly inside or near the tumor.
• Immunotherapy: This innovative approach activates your immune system to better detect and attack cancer cells. Treatments like immune checkpoint inhibitors help the body overcome cancer’s defenses and mount a stronger response.
• Targeted Therapy: These drugs zero in on specific genes or proteins that fuel cancer growth. One notable example is belzutifan (Welireg), approved by the FDA in August 2021 for patients with Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease-related kidney cancers. Belzutifan blocks a protein called HIF-2α, which normally supplies oxygen and nutrients to cancer cells—cutting off this pathway can shrink tumors significantly.
• Combination Therapy: In many cases, doctors may recommend a blend of treatments—such as immunotherapy paired with targeted therapy—to increase effectiveness and tailor care to your unique needs.

A Note on Side Effects and Shared Decision-Making

While these treatments offer hope, they can also come with side effects that impact your body and daily life. That’s why it’s essential to have open, honest conversations with your doctor. Together, you can weigh the risks and benefits, explore supportive care options, and choose a treatment plan that aligns with your values and goals.

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

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