Yahoo Lifestyle Alexis Ohanian, Serena Williams's Husband, Revealed He Underwent Surgery On Thyroids "Very Likely To Become Cancerous"
Alexis Ohanian, the cofounder of Reddit and husband to Serena Williams, recently shared he underwent surgery, encouraging "fellow men" to be mindful of their health.
On Thanksgiving, Alexis shared on Instagram he'd undergone surgery on his thyroid. "After tracking some suspicious nodules on my thyroid for the last 4 years, I recently got half of it surgically removed," the caption read alongside a post-surgery selfie.
"The nodules were getting bigger & the latest biopsy revealed they'd very likely turn cancerous. My mom had breast cancer around this age (41) and then ultimately died from brain cancer a decade or so later. I hate cancer."
"I wasn't gonna take any chances; the surgery was smooth and I'm extra grateful this Thanksgiving because I got the call this morning that my now-removed-half-of-thyroid was indeed full of some gnarly nodules that were very likely to become cancerous."
According to the National Cancer Institute, thyroid cancer made up 2.2% of all new cancers in 2024. The estimated amount of new cases is 44,020.
The NCI states, "This cancer forms in the thyroid gland, an organ at the base of the throat that makes hormones that help control heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, and weight."
Furthermore, the four main types of thyroid cancer are "papillary, follicular, medullary, and anaplastic thyroid cancer."
Alexis explained that he had struggled to lift anything for two weeks, but fortunately, he could take his daughters to Disney World, "so life is wonderful."
Alexis and Serena share two daughters, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr., 7, and Adira River Ohanian, 15 months.
Alexis and Serena have been married since November 2017.
As other celebrities who recently shared their journeys with cancer have done, Alexis urged men to be mindful of their bodies. "To my fellow, men — make those doctor's appointments — especially if y'all are dads. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone."
The NCI also states that your family history of having an enlarged thyroid or exposure to radiation in your childhood can serve as a risk factor. Additionally, "only a small number of thyroid nodules are diagnosed as cancer."
For more information check out the American Thyroid Association.
