Alexis Ohanian has revealed he’s undergone surgery on his thyroids to prevent them turning cancerous.
The Reddit co-founder, 41 – who is also tennis superstar Serena Williams’ husband – detailed his Thanksgiving ordeal on social media.
Alongside pictures of himself in a hospital bed post-surgery, Alexis wrote: ‘After tracking some suspicious nodules on my thyroid for the last 4 years, I recently got half of it surgically removed.
‘The nodules were getting bigger & the latest biopsy revealed they’d very likely turn cancerous. My mom had breast cancer around this age (41) and then ultimately died from brain cancer a decade or so later. I hate cancer.
‘I wasn’t gonna take any chances; the surgery was smooth and I’m extra grateful this Thanksgiving because 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.
‘The worst part tbh has been not being able to lift for 2 weeks but big fella will be back at it next week and I took my girls to Disney World this week so life is wonderful.
‘To my fellow, men — make those doctor’s appointments — especially if y’all are dads. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.’
This comes after Alexis was diagnosed with Lyme disease earlier this year.
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that is often spread to humans by infected ticks – it can cause joint and muscle pain, headaches, tiredness, and loss of energy.
The businessman revealed he was doing a ‘full battery of health checks’ when the condition was discovered, despite him showing ‘no symptoms’.
Thyroid cancer symptoms
A lump in the front, lower part of your neck – the lump usually feels hard, slowly gets bigger and is not painful
A hoarse voice
A sore throat
Difficulty swallowing or breathing
Pain in the front of your neck, or a feeling like something is pressing against your neck
Other symptoms can include:
A cough
A red face (flushing) – this may be harder to see on brown or black skin
Softer poos or diarrhoea
Weight loss
While those who spend time in ‘grassy, brushy or wooded areas’ can be more at risk of contracting the condition according to Mayo Clinic, Alexis was surprised because he spends ‘so little time’ in the wilderness.
Symptoms can include headaches, a fever, extreme tiredness, rashes and stiffness, with some sufferers also complaining of swelling, numbness or weakness in the hands or feet, and pain around the body.
In August Serena and Alexis also welcomed their second child together – a daughter called Adira River.
The tennis star, 41, revealed the happy news on social media, posting a family video of their new addition alongside their eldest daughter Alexis Olympia.
The couple first got engaged in December, 2016, before tying the knot in a star-studded ceremony the following year – surrounded by stars including Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland and Kim Kardashian.
They welcomed their first daughter Alexis in September, 2017, before Serena announced her second pregnancy in style at the Met Gala last May.
Serena Williams’ husband Alexis Ohanian undergoes surgery following cancer scare