NEED TO KNOW
-
Ken McNickle shared his cancer diagnosis on Instagram and expressed how devastated he was by the news.
-
He urged men to prioritise their health and admitted he had delayed seeking medical help despite serious symptoms.
-
McNickle rose to fame thanks to her participation in reality show «Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen X"» and became the second participant of the season to fall ill with cancer.
At the star reality show "Survivor"« Ken McNickle has been diagnosed with cancer.
On Monday, June 1, the 43-year-old man, who finished second on the 33rd season of the reality show, posted a photo on Instagram of himself in the hospital and shared an update on his health.
«"That moment when you hear the words 'it's cancer,' and everything freezes," he wrote. "The doctor sounds like the teacher from the Charlie Brown cartoon. You realize nothing but that one word is getting through.".
«And then the questions flood in. Why now? What did I do to deserve this? Why didn’t I come sooner? After everything else, now this? And then the feeling of defeat sets in, and the words «screw it» start to creep in.» The beginning of the process of surrender,« he continued. »And then I think about my daughter, about my beloved, and about the life we want, and about how there is another option… to fight. Because there is always a choice. And I choose optimism, health, happiness, and the knowledge that spirit supports me. And most importantly, I choose love.”.
Ken McNickleCredit: thekencole/Instagram
Subscribe to "« From the Editor» — our free weekly newsletter from PEOPLE Editor-in-Chief Charlotte Triggs.
In the caption, McNickle wrote that he considered not disclosing his diagnosis publicly, but ultimately decided it might help others. He also promised to share information more often in the future.
«"If you have health problems, don't put it off," he added. "Get checked. There's no good reason not to. Not one.".
While McNickle didn't specify the exact type of cancer he had, he posted a follow-up video detailing some of the symptoms he experienced and the warning signs he ignored.
«"I waited almost a year until my skin started tearing before going to the doctor. And if I had gone sooner, it would have been a simple procedure, not a three-inch hole in my chest," he said. "I waited almost three months, watching blood appear in my stool every morning, before going to the doctor and seeing if my internal organs were rupturing. And I waited until that lump on my testicles grew to the size of my other two before going to the doctor.".
Ken McNickle on SURVIVOR: Millennials vs. Gen. X. Photo: Monty Brinton/CBS via Getty.
«I kept wondering why I was so damn stupid so often,„ he continued. “And then this morning it hit me. Memories from my childhood and adolescence came flooding back, words like, »Stop crying. Don’t be a baby. Don’t be a bitch. Stop being a coward. Just be a man.’ And yeah, I think that had something to do with it.”.
McNickle then urged men to be more proactive about their health.
«"There's an epidemic in men's health, and we're not paying enough attention to it," he wrote in the caption. "We need to talk more about why men in 50% are less likely to see a doctor for physical ailments and men in 60% are less likely to get help for mental and emotional issues. Why do you think this is happening? What needs to change?"»
Ken McNickle on SURVIVOR: Millennials vs. Gen XCredit: Robert Voets/CBS via Getty
Don't miss any news - subscribe to free daily newsletter PEOPLE , to stay up-to-date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human stories.
McNickle rose to fame in 2016 after competing on the 33rd season of the reality show "Survivor," which featured the theme "Millennials vs. Gen X." He reached the finals alongside Hannah Shapiro and Adam Klein, with Klein being declared the winner by unanimous vote.
And McNickle isn't the only season 33 contestant to be touched by the topic of cancer.
Sunday Burquest, who placed seventh on the season, beat breast cancer in 2012 before taking part in the show. Years later, she was diagnosed with esophageal and ovarian cancer, and shortly thereafter, in 2021, at the age of 50, she died from the disease.
Read the original article on People.