7 Things We Learned From WWE Chronicle: Roman Reigns

5. The Details Of His Leukaemia

Roman Reigns Vince McMahon Chronicle
WWE Network

Until now, the precise details of Roman Reigns' leukaemia have not been widely known or understood. During the documentary, the he explained that he was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia, a cancer of the white blood cells.

CML progresses through three stages if left untreated: chronic, accelerated, and blast. As in the majority of cases, Reigns' illness was thankfully diagnosed in the first of these stages, during which the body produces too many mature white blood cells, known as granulocytes.

Though the cancer tends to be more prevalent in people averaging 64-years-old, it can affect anybody - as evidenced by it afflicting a man of supreme physical health such as Roman Reigns. Approximately 1 in 526 Americans will contract CML over the course of their lifetime, though Reigns' previous encounter with the disease made him predisposed to a recurrence.

Luckily, the chronic stage of CML can be treated with an analgesic, effectively a form of oral chemotherapy. Roman points out there's a tendency not to celebrate the victories made in cancer research, but cites the drug as one of them, describing it as "a huge win for people."

To learn more about chronic myeloid leukaemia - and to donate - please visit Bloodwise (UK) or DKMS (US).

Editorial Team
Editorial Team

Benjamin was born in 1987, and is still not dead. He variously enjoys classical music, old-school adventure games (they're not dead), and walks on the beach (albeit short - asthma, you know). He's currently trying to compile a comprehensive history of video game music, yet denies accusations that he purposefully targets niche audiences. He's often wrong about these things.