Former L.A Lakers star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 62, has announced that he has been diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer, and has been battling it for the past year. He is currently undergoing treatment for chronic myeloid leukemia (abbreviated CML), but has said that aside from checking his blood levels on a regular basis, the disease "doesn't impact my life too significantly." He hasn't revealed his prognosis.
The basketball great has decided to make it his mission to educate others about the importance of the early detection of cancer, and has partnered with pharmaceutical company Novartis to travel across the country informing others about CML and other types of cancer. He is also launching a Facebook page, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Patient Advocate. He says, "I think it's possible for someone in my position to help save lives."