John Cena has revealed his cancer diagnosis.
The 47-year-old started gaining fame in 2002 when WWE brought him on board, quickly catching the attention of fans with his charming personality and amazing wrestling skills.
He made his first appearance on WWE’s main show, SmackDown, as his well-known character, Doctor of Thuganomics.
Over the last twenty years, Cena has become one of the biggest stars in the history of the show.
Recently, he has also ventured into acting, appearing in movies like Fast & Furious 9, Bumblebee, and The Suicide Squad.
Now, his fans are feeling devastated after he shared the news about his cancer diagnosis.
One fan writes: “I really admire John Cena for being brave enough to speak out about his experience.”
“His willingness to be open can inspire others to focus on their health,” another person mentions. “Thanks for spreading this crucial message.”
“This is so sad; it shows that cancer can affect anyone, regardless of how healthy they are,” a third individual writes.
Cena’s health update comes after he became the new face of Neutrogena’s Ultra Sheer Mineral Face Liquid Sunscreen SPF 70, which is a lightweight and invisible sunblock.
He is featured in the campaign called ‘Sunscreen You Can’t See,’ which pays tribute to the WWE star’s iconic ‘You Can’t See Me’ hand sign from his wrestling days.
The video also includes dermatologist and skin cancer surgeon Dr. Neera Nathan, who joins Cena in emphasizing the need to use sunscreen every day.
In an interview with People, the Daddy’s Home actor revealed the campaign is very close to his heart.
I grew up in a small town near Newburyport and Salisbury Beach, which the locals call the North Shore, he said. “Some of my best summer memories are of little carnivals and people strolling along the beach.”
Cena also mentioned that he never used sunscreen as a kid since his mom was busy raising five boys, and it wasn’t a big deal back then. In 1977, people didn’t really focus on the need for sun protection.
When he was in his early twenties, the WWE star moved from New England to Florida, where he really enjoyed the sun but admits he didn’t take care of his skin.
“I was pretty stubborn. I didn’t want to follow a routine, and I thought skin issues wouldn’t happen to me. I spent a lot of time in the sun with very little protection, and eventually, it caught up to me,” Cena explained.
Ignoring his skin care led to a serious diagnosis: “I didn’t realize anything was wrong until I visited a dermatologist for a skin check and had a cancerous spot taken off my right pec.”
Cena recalls the heartbreaking moment when he got the call: “You need to come back in.”
The 47-year-old feels “very lucky” to have an excellent dermatologist and mentions that the statistics on skin cancer are quite alarming.
In the United States, it’s estimated that 1 in 5 people will face skin cancer at some point in their lives, and around 9,500 individuals are diagnosed with it every day, according to The Skin Care Foundation.
The famous actor shares, “I believe the best way to make a point is through personal connections. As a person, I can tell you: getting that phone call is something you really don’t want because it’s unpredictable, and you can’t know how serious it might be.”
He recalls, “A year later, I had to get another spot taken off near my right shoulder. It looks like a white dot on my chest and shoulder. If you watch WWE, you might see them.”
Cena is now encouraging everyone to take precautions against the sun and to make applying sunscreen a daily habit, just like brushing your teeth.