As a teenager, Cleveland Cavaliers stud Larry Nance Jr. was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease — a type of inflammatory bowel disease which has symptoms that include, but is not limited to severe diarrhea. The 25-year-old Cavs forward has been living with the disease since, and he recently opened up about what it’s like to have this condition in his line of work.
“I got diagnosed as a sophomore in high school,” Nance told Grant Segal of cleveland.com. It’s been pretty stable since then. Once every 6 ½ weeks, I have to get an infusion of this drug called Remicade. It masks the symptoms.”
Given the nature of the condition, Nance has a very strict diet that has limited the type of food he can eat. Being on the road half the season, finding places to eat at was one of the bigger challenges he faced. However, Nance claims that he has already been able to adjust to his situation.
“No nuts, no seeds, no popcorn, no raw vegs, no spicy foods,” he explained. “It was tough early on, but I’ve figured out where to go in each city.”
Nance went on to share how he hopes to inspire others through his accomplishments despite his condition.
“I like to use the platform I have as a professional athlete to educate people about Crohn’s and allow kids, mainly, to see that, even though you have a disease, it doesn’t mean your wildest dreams can’t come true,” he added.
This is quite commendable for Nance. Not only is he not letting his disease become a hindrance from achieving his goals, but he is also hoping to motivate others into doing the same. Kudos to you, Larry!