Deion Sanders is opening up about a fight that changed his life.
The NFL Hall of Famer and Colorado Buffaloes head coach revealed earlier this year that he had been diagnosed with bladder cancer and is now reflecting on his journey and why he decided to share it publicly.
In an interview with "Good Morning America" which aired on Tuesday, Sanders sat down with longtime friend, "GMA" co-anchor Michael Strahan to discuss his recent battle.
This past spring, doctors found a tumor in Sanders' bladder during a routine CAT scan for blood clotting issues.
Sanders recalled he "felt good" during the appointment, admitting he was more "irritated" than worried at the time.
"Because, you know, for men, we don't wanna go to the doctor," he said.
Doctor reacts to Deion Sanders' bladder cancer diagnosisFurther testing revealed a high-risk, non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, an aggressive form with a 50 percent chance of returning. At the time, Sanders faced two difficult options: having his bladder removed or undergoing 36 weeks of chemotherapy.
He had previously admitted that the "options scared me to death."
Just nine days after his diagnosis, Sanders chose surgery to remove his bladder.
"I prayed on it. And I'm aggressive, man," he explained his decision. "I ain't waiting. I ain't sitting back on the curb waiting to go slowly but surely do whatever's gonna happen."
Doctors rebuilt Sanders' bladder using part of his intestine, a procedure that left him in excruciating pain during recovery.
"It was tough," he said. "So, I remember laying there and they said, 'Well, you need to go try to pee.' That was the most excruciating pain I've ever felt in my life."
"I remember just on the ground in the bathroom, and I'm just screaming because it was so much pain," he added.
Despite the challenges, Sanders said he never regretted his decision.
Now cancer-free, he remains candid about the lasting effects, including nighttime incontinence and the physical effort required to use his reconstructed bladder.
"Some nights I go through two pairs of Depends a night. Like, some nights are bad," he shared.
Sanders returned to the field this summer, leading the Buffaloes with renewed purpose.
For him, sharing his story is as important as his recovery.
"You know how many people's goin' through this foolishness?" he said. "But men never talk about stuff like this. We hide it 'cause we wanna be big and strong and massive and not vulnerable. No, man. This is real. This is what I'm dealing with."
His faith appeared to have been central to his strength.
"The Bible clearly depicts that in this world we're gonna have tribulation," he said.
"I choose to rise up, man, not to stay down. I choose to share," he continued. "And I want everybody to understand you can make it, man. We all got somethin' we fightin'. Who out there right now ain't fighting somethin'? It may not be cancer, but it's somethin'. But you can overcome it. We can do this."
