Wrestling icon and actor John Cena recently revealed that he was diagnosed with skin cancer, prompting him to undergo the removal of two spots from his skin years ago. In an interview with People magazine, the 16-time champion and prospective WWE Hall of Famer shared that he “fell in love with the sun” during his childhood, but neglected to care for his skin.
Hailing from Massachusetts, Cena enjoyed frequent trips to the beach and continued this practice after relocating to Florida during the rise of his WWE career in the early 2000s.
“I was headstrong. I didn’t want to establish a routine, and I believed the issue would never affect me,” said Cena. “I had a lot of sun exposure with little protection, and it eventually caught up to me.”
Upon visiting a dermatologist, Cena discovered that a cancerous spot on his right pectoral muscle needed to be removed. This prompted him to start using sunscreen, but unfortunately, the damage was already done, and he was later informed that another spot required removal.
Although Cena didn’t disclose the exact timing of his skin cancer diagnosis, he emphasized that skin care has become a crucial aspect of his daily routine now.
“I’m in a really good place in my life where that’s important to me now. I’m incredibly grateful to have escaped those two risks, but I keep them as a reminder that, ‘Hey, you need to take a few extra seconds each day to protect yourself,’”
Cena disclosed his diagnosis to the public after being approached to be a spokesperson for Neutrogena sunscreen, a company that had no prior knowledge of his condition. Once he began his partnership with them, Cena felt compelled to share his personal fight against skin cancer.
Currently, Cena is on a retirement tour, having announced his intention to step back from wrestling after 2025. Despite the nearing end of his in-ring career, he remains focused on achieving WWE’s ultimate accolades. He is set to confront the Undisputed WWE Champion “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes in the main event of the second night of “WrestleMania 41” on Sunday, April 20.
Additionally, he is scheduled to appear on the June 20 episode of “Smackdown” at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids.
