Wayman Tisdale recovering after discovery of cancerous cyst

Jet, May 14, 2007 by Marti Parham

Life as you know it can change in a snap. Such was the ease for Wayman Tisdale.

The former NBA All-Star is undergoing treatment for a cancerous cyst, which was recently discovered to be the cause of a broken-leg mishap that occurred at his home.

The Tulsa native felt the need to go public about his health scare now so that he may be an inspiration to others.

"When life deals you certain situations it's not the end of the world," he says. "It's just a way to stand up, dig your feet down and get ready for battle."

Tisdale, who says he's feeling fine but admits that he has a "little fatigue from time to time," told JET that his leg injury occurred in February during a 2:00 a.m. walk to the kitchen for water.

"I was coming down the back steps of my Los Angeles home and I felt my leg give way," says the 6-foot-9 athlete who played 12 seasons in the NBA with the Indiana Pacers, Sacramento Kings and the Phoenix Suns. "It didn't just crack, it broke in half below the right knee. There were no warning signs."

After X-rays were taken, a cyst was discovered in his fibula. What followed in the next two months were three inconclusive biopsies before a final diagnosis was made. Tisdale recalls never having any "leg issues" during his athletic career as a center and power forward, but doctors suggested the cancerous cyst, which was isolated to the bone, could have been the result of a past injury. But they have no real way of knowing for sure.

"I'm a man of faith, so it was in God's hands from the get-go," says Tisdale of his initial reaction to his diagnosis. "When the doctors first told me it was a shock, and you have to get over that initial shock. My first few words were, 'Yeah, I hear what you're saying, but what do I need to do to get this fixed and taken care of?'"

According the American Cancer Society's 2007 Facts and Figures report, approximately 1,444,920 new cancer cases are expected to be diagnosed this year. Tisdale's prognosis for his recovery is good. He is about to begin his second month of chemotherapy. After another month he will receive a knee replacement and follow up with three more months of chemo.

With seven jazz CDs to his credit, Tisdale is earning a living as an award-winning bass guitarist. His latest project, Way Up, debuted at No. I on Billboard's Contemporary Jazz Charts.

He is currently working on his new CD, tentatively titled Rebound, and will resume touring in time for his January 2008 Smooth Jazz Cruise, which he says will be a platform to tell his testimony.

"You're only given one life and one body, and it can change overnight. Just because you're diagnosed at whatever level of cancer your doctor may say it is, you're never out of the race when you put God first in what you're doing. God is always in control."

To learn more about the fight against cancer visit the American Cancer Society at www.cancer.org.