Kareem Abdul Jabbar Battles Cancer

(Sources: ESPN, LA Times )

When six time NBA MVP and current special assistant to the World Championship Los Angeles Lakers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar began experiencing hot flashes and sweats on a regular basis, he instantly knew something was wrong. Though his family has a past history of cancer, nothing could prepare him for his diagnosis. After visiting a physician from his alma mater during the late 1960's, UCLA, it was discovered that Kareem's white blood cell count was abnormally high. Without further delay, he was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia called chronic myeloid leukemia, which affects both the blood and bone marrow by producing cancerous blood cells.