Local

Former Panthers player shares story of father's breast cancer diagnosis to help raise awareness

By DaShawn Brown, wsoctv.com
By DaShawn Brown, wsoctv.com

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Former Panthers player Kurt Coleman remembers the phone call 12 years ago, when his father, Ron, was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Coleman, who currently plays for the New Orleans Saints, was a freshman in college and close to playing in the national championship game when he got the call.

[ Former Panthers player Kurt Coleman returns to Charlotte to spread awareness of breast cancer ]

“I laughed at the time because I was young and I didn't know males could be diagnosed with breast cancer,” he said.

Ron had to explain to his son that he had stage 2 breast cancer. He told Kurt he was going to beat it, and he did.

Ron went through extensive treatments, but only missed one day of work – the day of his surgery.

Looking back on it all, he says it was one of his greater experiences.

“I kept telling everybody I was glad that it was me,” Ron said. “If you think back 12 years ago, most men didn't know anything about breast cancer.”

Now, the father and son are on a mission to help other men and other survivors.

They've helped raise money for the American Cancer Society and raised awareness by sharing their story.

“You look back and you say, Wow, God put me in this place for a specific reason. He put me in this tough time for a specific reason and it was only so that I could grow,'" Kurt said.

On Saturday, thousands will walk to raise awareness and money for the fight against breast cancer at the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer annual event.

Registration starts at 8 a.m. at zMAX Dragway and the walk begins at 10 a.m.

For more information on the walk, click here.

Read more top trending stories on wsoctv.com:

Cox Media Group

0

Most Read