Will Reeve, the son of late Superman star Christopher Reeve, has shared the wonderful news that he is cancer-free after quietly undergoing treatment for testicular cancer.
The 34-year-old ABC News correspondent revealed for the first time that he was diagnosed earlier this year, beginning a difficult few months that included two major operations and chemotherapy.
But after receiving clean scans at a check-up on September 8, Reeve says the cancer is now firmly “in the rearview mirror”.
“The diagnosis was a shock and the treatments were a slog,” Reeve said while sharing his story on Good Morning America.
“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.”
Reeve’s ordeal began in April, just three months after marrying his wife, Amanda Dubin Reeve.
He noticed a hard, tender lump on his left testicle but initially hoped it was nothing serious. Amanda encouraged him to have it checked and an ultrasound revealed a mass.
In early May, Reeve underwent surgery to remove the affected testicle. Tests subsequently revealed he had embryonal carcinoma, an aggressive form of testicular cancer.
The news meant Reeve’s treatment was far from over.
In June, he underwent a six-hour operation to remove dozens of lymph nodes from his abdomen. Three were found to contain cancer, prompting Reeve and his doctors to take the additional step of chemotherapy to dramatically reduce the risk of the disease returning.
Reeve endured two rounds of chemotherapy in July at New York’s Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, with Amanda beside him during the gruelling treatment sessions.
The experience came with an especially emotional connection for Reeve.
His mother, Dana Reeve, was treated at the same hospital for lung cancer before her death in 2006 at just 44.
His father, Christopher Reeve, died two years earlier at 52, having spent the final nine years of his life paralysed following a horse-riding accident.
Reeve said watching his parents turn the enormous challenges they faced into something positive had profoundly shaped the way he approached his own diagnosis.
“Watching my parents up close take the adversity they faced in their lives and repurpose it into something hopeful left a major impact on my life and how I try to live it,” he told People.
He has also credited Amanda with helping him through the frightening experience – beginning with her insistence that he have the lump checked rather than wait and see.
That decision may have made an enormous difference.
“I’m fortunate that I caught this early,” Reeve said.
“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 finished chemotherapy at the end of July and was able to ring the traditional bell marking the completion of his treatment.
Then came the news he had been waiting for.
His September 8 scans were clear, and Reeve says he is now cancer-free.
He decided to make his previously private battle public in the hope his experience might encourage other men to pay attention to changes in their bodies and seek medical advice rather than putting it off.
“I want folks to know that this is a thing that can happen,” he said. “It’s shocking. It’s weird.”
But most importantly, Reeve’s message after a frightening few months is one of optimism.
“I’m going to be fine,” he said. “But this was a heck of a chapter.”
Fans have since flocked to Reeve’s social media pages with messages of love and support, celebrating his recovery and praising the strength he showed throughout his ordeal. Among the many heartfelt responses, one fan summed up the sentiment simply: “He IS Superman!”
