Tennis Star Gabriela Dabrowski Reveals She Won Olympic Bronze While Being Treated for Breast Cancer

Canadian tennis star Gabriela Dabrowski revealed she was battling breast cancer when she won her bronze medal at the Paris Olympics.

On Dec. 31, the 32-year-old took to Instagram to share her diagnosis and how her health journey has changed her over the past year.

“Unprecedented in 2024: How can something so small cause such a big problem? That’s the question I asked myself when I was diagnosed with breast cancer in mid-April,” she wrote. “I know this will come as a shock to many, but I’m fine and I’ll be fine. Early detection saves lives. I can wholeheartedly agree with this.”

Dabrowski explained that she felt a lump in her left breast during a self-examination in the spring of 2023, but doctors told her there was nothing to worry about. However, by the spring of 2024, she noticed that the lump was larger and decided to scan it.

“The next morning I went to Advent Health Hospital in Wesley Chapel and had a biopsy done on my left breast. The preliminary results came in that day: cancer,” she shared. “These are the words you never expect to hear, and in an instant your life or the life of a loved one is turned upside down.”

“Fast forward through 2 surgeries at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, rehab to recover, @patrickdaciek throwing the ball for me on my serve because my left arm couldn’t lift high enough, a little delay in treatment to compete at Wimbledon and the Olympics , radiation + fatigue (between Toronto and the US Open), starting endocrine therapy, finishing the season at the highest possible level… everything seems surreal,” she said.

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Gabriela Dabrowski.

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Dabrowski admitted that she is sharing her story now because she was initially unwilling to expose herself to the potential attention and questions she would receive about her battle with cancer. She said she wanted to “work things out privately” with those closest to her while there are so many unknowns about her illness.

“I’m in a place right now where I have a better understanding of my treatment, the side effects and how to deal with them,” she added. “Please know that I am also fully aware of how lucky I am, because many do not have the luxury of being able to tell their story at all.”

Dabrowski said she recognized over time that she was “part of something bigger than me” and wanted to use her platform to raise awareness about breast cancer and the importance of early detection.

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Gabriela Dabrowski.

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The tennis star ended the emotional post by thanking those who have been involved in her cancer journey and supported her throughout her battle. She admitted that early on after her diagnosis, she feared that cancer would forever become a part of her identity.

“I don’t want to feel like that anymore,” she said. “It’s a privilege to be able to call myself a survivor.”

Dabrowski said her breast cancer diagnosis gave her a chance to see challenges through a “lens of gratitude.”

“If you’ve seen me smile more on the pitch in the last 6 months, it’s been genuine. That was not always the case,” she added. “Although I have been actively working to improve my attitude through therapy and guidance for years, my cancer diagnosis was the catalyst for a more permanent change. When the threat of losing everything I had worked for all my life became a real possibility, it was only then that I began to truly appreciate what I had.”

“My mindset changed from ‘I have to do it (play tennis and not waste my skills)’ to ‘I have to do it.’ Through this lens, it is much easier for me to find joy in areas of my life that I previously considered a heavy weight,” she wrote. “I say fuck you to cancer, but also thank you.”

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Source: HIS Education