- Cena has twice had cancerous growths removed
- The 16-time WWE Champion was speaking on the importance of skincare
- Cena will headline his final WrestleMania, this month
John Cena has revealed that he twice underwent operations to remove skin cancer, and has warned others about the dangers of not protecting themselves against the risks that cause the disease.
Cena, who is currently just over two weeks away from competing in his final ever WrestleMania, recently gave an interview to People in which he discussed his past scares with cancer. The 47-year-old explained that growing up, he never took proper precautions regarding skincare and sunscreen use.
John Cena – Wrestling Heel, Skincare Hero
“I grew up in a small town next to Newburyport and Salisbury Beach. Some of my earliest memories of summer are of small carnivals and people walking the beachside.
“My mom [Carol] raised five boys and I’m pretty sure she just wanted to just keep us alive and healthy. She had her hands full for sure, so I certainly do not blame her. And me being born in ’77, this was kind of all new knowledge.”
But it wasn’t just during his Massachusetts childhood that Cena proved to be sunscreen averse. After moving to Florida, the 16-time WWE Champion continued his same ways from adolescence, saying he remained “stubborn” and he “didn’t want to have a routine and I also thought the problem would never reach methought the problem would never reach me”. It resulted in a phone call he never wanted to receive.
“It wasn’t until I went to a dermatologist and got a skin checkup and had a cancerous spot removed from my right pec. I was very lucky to have a great dermatologist who kind of, I guess for lack of a better term, held me by the hand and let me know that I wasn’t alone.
“The stats on this are overwhelming, but as much as I learn about them, those numbers don’t mean anything. I think the best way to hammer home a point is human-to-human connection. And I as a human can tell you: Man, that phone call’s not what you want to get because it is unpredictable and you don’t know how bad it’s going to be.”
The following year, Cena received another skin cancer diagnosis, to remove a cancerous spot from his right shoulder. Eagle eyed WWE fans may be able to see the scars, with Cena explaining, “It shows up like a white polka dot on the side of my chest and on my shoulder.”
John Cena’s Skincare Advice
Pleading with people to not go down the same path he did in his early years, Cena – sharing his past cancer scares as part of a campaign for Neutrogena’s new Sunscreen You Can’t See – continued, “If you’re out there and you brush your teeth, at a young age you learned that going to the dentist when your teeth are in bad shape is bad because it’s painful.
“The same thing will happen if you don’t take care of your skin, and it’s actually easier than brushing your teeth. Because it’s not something you should exercise to just make you look more beautiful. It’s something you should exercise to allow you to be who you are for a longer period of time.”
The Peacemaker star will face Cody Rhodes for the WWE Title in Sunday night’s main event at this year’s WrestleMania, on April 20. John Cena has vowed to retire with the belt if he wins it.
Cena’s recent heel turn sent shockwaves throughout pro wrestling, and he has promptly been greeted with hugely hostile crowds during every appearance he’s made on WWE television since then.
