On Tuesday afternoon, Vancouver Canucks forward Dakota Joshua shared that he’s recovering from offseason surgery to remove testicular cancer that was discovered this summer.
Joshua put out the following statement through the Canucks’ social media accounts, confirming he won’t be ready for training camp this week in Penticton.
“This summer, I felt a lump on one of my testicles that doctors would later diagnose as testicular cancer. This news was obviously scary to hear, but thankfully, doctors were able to successfully remove the tumor. The last several weeks have been extremely challenging, and l’ve been fortunate to have the support of my family, friends, teammates, and doctors.
“Unfortunately, I will not be ready for the start of training camp as I continue to heal from surgery. I plan on returning to play as soon as possible this season, and I am working hard every day re-join my teammates.
“Although it was very difficult to face the reality of this specific type of cancer, getting checked by a doctor quickly was the best approach and I encourage men to get checked regularly for testicular cancer. As I continue with my recovery, I thank everyone in advance for respecting my privacy concerning this matter. The team will provide updates as appropriate.
In the meantime, I thank everyone for their support and understanding.”
-Dakota Joshua
Testicular cancer is the most common form of cancer in men between the ages of 15 and 35 and is highly treatable when caught early. According to the Testicular Cancer Society, 1 in 250 men will be diagnosed with testicular cancer at some point in their lifetime.
Joshua, 28, tallied 32 points through 63 games with the Canucks last season and re-upped with the club this offseason on a four-year contract with an average annual value (AAV) of $3.25 million.
Canucks training camp kicks off this Thursday from the South Okanagan Events Centre in Penticton, BC, and we here at CanucksArmy are wishing Dakota Joshua all the best in his recovery.