The Swedish Champion Takes Life ‘One Step at a Time’ Following ‘Severe’ Cancer Identification
Björn Borg, a legendary sports figure, shared that he is living life “day by day, year by year” after receiving an “extremely aggressive” prostate cancer diagnosis.
Health Update
The 11-time grand slam winner, who left professional tennis at 25, detailed the personal challenge in the closing section of his memoir, set to release this week. The athlete has entered remission following an operation in recent years, but admitted that the revelation was “hard to process mentally”.
“I spoke to the doctor and he said it’s an aggressive form,” Borg shared. “He said you have these sleeping cancer cells and it’s going to be a fight going forward. Every six months I get examined. My most recent test was recent. This is my new reality.”
Life Challenges
The book details Borg writes about mental health struggles and substance abuse, which he says started decades ago. “The first time I tried cocaine,” he mentions, “it felt similar to the adrenaline from my competing days.”
Borg describes an overdose incident in the Netherlands during that decade following excessive use on “substances and medications — my preferred ways of self-medication”. He also writes about “the worst shame of all”, happening upon regaining consciousness while hospitalized to see his father post yet another crisis.
Career Decisions
He explains Borg describes leaving professional tennis at the age of 25 after losing championship matches to his rival John McEnroe. “My only thoughts was how miserable my life had become,” he states.
