Off The Record
After A Devastating Diagnosis, John Cena Warns Fans To Watch For These Cancer Signs
Following the announcement of his own devastating illness, John Cena has offered a dire warning regarding the symptoms of cancer.
In a new commercial with Neutrogena, the WWE star and actor talked candidly about his health crisis and used his position to advocate for sunscreen and routine skin exams.
In an interview with PEOPLE magazine, Cena admitted that growing up, he “never” used sunscreen and brushed off any need for it. “I was born in ’77,” he told the outlet, explaining that back then, protecting your skin “was kind of all new knowledge”.
The 47-year-old later said that despite spending a lot of time in the sun after moving to Florida, he still “neglects” his skin.
“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 visit to the dermatologist, who discovered “a cancerous spot” on his “right pec,” served as that wake-up call. The experience was sobering, but fortunately it was taken off early.
The actor from Peacemaker gave his dermatologist credit for guiding him through the “overwhelming” situation.
“My great dermatologist held [me] by the hand and let [me] know that [I] wasn’t alone,” he said, adding that personal support can often have more impact than cold statistics.
“The stats on this are overwhelming, but as much as I learn about them, those numbers don’t mean anything. I think the best way to hammer home a point is human-to-human connection,” he said.
The emotional toll was difficult when Cena had to have another spot removed a year later.
“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, adding that it’s not always easy stopping your mind “going to the worst-case scenario”.
Now, in a “great space,” Cena says the experience has changed his approach to sun safety. “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,’” he said.
His advice is straightforward: always use sunscreen and get checked if something seems strange.
Cena recently concluded his WWE Europe tour before what is anticipated to be his farewell WrestleMania encounter against champion Cody Rhodes.
In an uncommon move, he has adopted a “heel” attitude in anticipation of what could be his record-breaking 17th world title victory prior to ending his competitive career.
Even though he is retiring from professional wrestling, Cena will continue to act and serve as an ambassador for WWE.
“The word ‘retirement,’ to me, simply means acknowledging and accepting that you’re closing a chapter and opening another one,” he told Yahoo, citing The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life by David Brooks as a book that helped reinforce his perspective on what comes next.
“This is a thing that a lot of folks go through, and it’s a normal progression in life,” he continued. “It’s closing a chapter, continuing to be curious and finding that second mountain to climb.”
Looking back on his career, the former world champion says he has no regrets. “Any creative venture has to involve courage because you’re essentially putting a piece of art out there and letting everyone have an opinion on it.”
“You have to have the courage to give your best and also the courage to understand that once it’s out in the universe, it is the subject of opinion,” he said, adding, “If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years it is you can’t please everyone.”
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