We are all behind you.

I lost a cousin to Leukemia and it is going to be a battle, no doubt about it. But he has the heart of a champion, and a positive outlook is a big plus in these kinds of endeavors.

I also want to echo ’71s reminder to get annual physicals. Early detection can make a huge difference not only in stopping life threatening diseases, but also in minimizing the long term impact an illness will have on the body.

Cap was a warrior on the court and I have no doubt he has the mentality to beat this.

It’s unfortunate that Kareem, or anyone, ever has to go through anything like this.

Kareem’s response to fight back with advocacy and public awareness is a true example of a leader and a champion.

So, I’m going to infer that he is currently taking Gleevec, which is an amazing, but very expensive, oral medication for CML. I know quite a few people around Kareem’s age who have been living quite wonderful lives while taking Gleevec daily to control their CML. In fact, one of them has run two marathons this year.

It looks like Kareem has the right attitude and focus in dealing with this, and I’m pleased to see him taking the role of advocate- tho anyone that’s followed the last couple decades of his life wouldn’t expect anything different.

As others have said, it’s important to visit the doctor regularly. Too many men don’t pay attention to the signals that your body sends you. In the LA Times article, Kareem mentioned that he started to feel strange, so he knew he should get checked out. Early detection for something like this is key.