John Cena opens up about how he felt after being diagnosed with cancer and urges others to know the signs
The WWE star was able to 'dodge two bullets' with a previous skin cancer diagnosis and is now spreading important awareness
WWE legend John Cena has revealed what helped 'coach' him through being previously diagnosed and treated for skin cancer.
The 47-year-old actor and wrestler, who is set to headline WrestleMania against Cody Rhodes, revealed he's been previously diagnosed with and treated for skin cancer in a new campaign to promote the use of sunscreen with Neutrogena.
Cena told PEOPLE when he grew up he 'never' wore sunscreen, noting given he was 'born in '77', protecting your skin 'was kind of all new knowledge'.
When he grew up, he then moved to Florida and admitted he 'neglected' his skin, ending up out in the sun but 'stubborn[ly]' not using sunscreen.
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"I didn't want to have a routine and I also thought the problem would never reach me. And it's one of those things where I had a ton of exposure with minimal protection and it caught up with me," he said.
A trip to a dermatologist for a skin checkup later revealed 'a cancerous spot' on his 'right pec'.
Thankfully the spot was able to be removed and Cena notes his 'great' dermatologist 'held [him] by the hand and let [him] know that [he] wasn't alone', which helped him process the 'overwhelming' stats surrounding the disease.
Cena adds while he did 'learn about' the stats, he thinks 'the best way to hammer home a point is human-to-human connection'.
Now speaking out about his two experiences to urge others to get checked if they find anything and to ensure they also take sun protection more seriously.
"And I as a human can tell you: Man, that phone call's not what you want to get because it is unpredictable and you don't know how bad it's going to be," he said.
Cena had to have another spot removed around a year later and he admits it's not always easy stopping his mind going to 'the worst-case scenario'.
But with the help of his dermatologist 'coaching' him through it and resolving to take sun protection more seriously, he's now in a 'great space'.
He resolved: "I'm so grateful to be able to dodge those two bullets, but I wear them as a reminder of, ‘hey man, you need to take the extra few seconds to protect yourself every day."
Cena has been touring Europe and the United Kingdom in the past few weeks with the WWE ahead of his final WrestleMania appearance against current WWE champion, Cody Rhodes.
Having turned 'heel' for the first time in his career (wrestling term for a bad guy), he has sent shockwaves through the professional wrestling industry as he looks to win an historic 17th title before retiring at the end of the year.
He will remain in the WWE but as an ambassador and out of ring talent, focusing on his acting career.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact the American Cancer Society on 1-800-227-2345 or via their live chat feature, available 24/7 every day of the year.
Poppy Bilderbeck