Jason Collins, the first openly gay NBA player, has shared his recent diagnosis of Stage 4 glioblastoma, one of the deadliest forms of brain cancer.
Back in 2013, Collins came out as gay publicly after sharing the news with people close to him. He was both the first openly gay NBA player, and the first openly gay active player for one of North America’s four major sport leagues. He looks fondly back at this experience, and feels no shame: “I can honestly say, the past 12 years since have been the best of my life. Your life is so much better when you just show up as your true self.” He retired in 2014 after playing for six separate teams. He and his partner, film producer Brunson Green, have been together since 2014. The two got married this past May, right before Collins’ cancer started causing complications.
The cancer diagnosis was first shared in a vague post by his family in September. In an essay published with ESPN, Collins shares that he is seeking treatment that is specifically targeting this type of cancer; he also shares hope that this treatment can become more standard and accessible for everyone. He says, “I’m fortunate to be in a financial position to go wherever in the world I need to go to get treatment. So 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.”
Jason Collins’ openness about his identity and his current struggles is admirable. He hopes that his honesty about his diagnosis will help others feel safe in vulnerability. He says in his essay, “After I came out, someone I really respect told me that my choice to live openly could help someone who I might never meet. I’ve held onto that for years. And if I can do that again now, then that matters.” Hopefully the treatment he is receiving will help him get through this so he can continue living his life and being an authentic inspiration.
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