Alexis Ohanian, husband of tennis pro Serena Williams, is encouraging his followers to monitor their health after he recently had “suspicious nodules” on his thyroid removed.
The entrepreneur shared a photo of himself in a hospital gown and cap to Instagram Nov. 29 and said he underwent surgery to remove the thyroid nodules after monitoring them for four years.
"The nodules were getting bigger & the latest biopsy revealed they’d very likely turn cancerous," he wrote in the caption. "My mom had breast cancer around this age (41) and then ultimately died from brain cancer a decade or so later. I hate cancer."
Ohanian wrote that he “wasn’t gonna take any chances” and opted for surgery, which he said went “smooth.”
It’s unclear when he had the surgery, but he wrote that recent news regarding the procedure made him “extra grateful this Thanksgiving.”
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“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,” he said.
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Thyroid nodules are lumps that can form in the thyroid gland, which is located near the base of the neck, according to the Mayo Clinic. Most do not cause symptoms and are not serious.
Ohanian added that the “worst part” of surgery recovery has been not lifting, but said he will be “back at it next week.”
“And I took my girls to Disney World this week so life is wonderful,” he wrote. In addition to his photo from the surgery, Ohanian also shared pics of himself and his two daughters, Olympia, 7, and Adira, 1.
Concluding his Instagram caption, Ohanian shared a message for other fathers.
“To my fellow, men — make those doctor’s appointments — especially if y’all are dads. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone,” he said.
In the comments section, some of his celebrity followers and friends wished him well and thanked him for speaking out.
TODAY contributor Jill Martin, who went public with her breast cancer diagnosis in July 2023 and is now considered cancer-free, said, “Thank you for being so open and honest and will add you to my prayers. And TEST. Knowledge is power.”
Peloton’s Robin Arzón wrote, “Sending you healing vibes. And soon to be back.”
Skiier Lindsey Vonn added, “Glad the surgery went well.”
Ohanian and Williams have been married since November 2017. They welcomed their first child together, Olympia, in September 2017. Adira was born in August 2023.
This story originally appeared on Today.com. Read more from Today:
