Flip Saunders Has Cancer – NBA Coach’s Fight Against Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Is Winnable
Minnesota Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders is fighting cancer. Fortunately, the doctors are confident that the disease is conquerable.
Flip Saunders was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma and has been undergoing chemotherapy for his condition for eight weeks now. The Minnesota Timberwolves coach, as well as the team president, won’t be stepping down for such a little thing as cancer. Saunders has confirmed that he plans to continue with his role as both the Head Coach as well as the President of Basketball Operations for the Timberwolves franchise.
Statement from #Twolves head coach Flip Saunders regarding his health pic.twitter.com/nlaPnd7Nlg
— Timberwolves PR (@Twolves_PR) August 11, 2015
Fortunately for Saunders, the doctors treating him have confirmed that the chemotherapy sessions are going quite well, and he will soon be completely in remission. Detailed investigations that were carried out about two months earlier had indicated that he has a very treatable and curable form of cancer, reported SportsKeeda. Apparently, Saunders won’t need to spend much time in the treatment room, he indicated.
“I am taking it step-by-step and day-by-day to understand how to best manage this process… I want to thank Dr. Burns as well as my medical team at Mayo Clinic for their hard work in diagnosing my situation and creating a plan to help me achieve a cancer-free outcome. I am attacking this with the same passion I do everything in my life, knowing this is a serious issue. I also know that God has prepared me to fight this battle.”
Saunders, 60, has been part of the NBA fraternity for the past 20 years and returned to the Minnesota Timberwolves and took charge of the team about two years back. He had been coaching the team from 1995 to 2005, but had chosen to briefly coach the Detroit Pistons (2005-08) and the Washington Wizards (2009-12), reported Bleacher Report. One of the most effective NBA coaches of all times, Flip Saunders has a 654-592 record and has reached the postseason 11 times.
This year’s Minnesota Timberwolves are a promising bunch, which includes last year’s Rookie of the Year Andrew Wiggins, Karl-Anthony Towns, and point guard Ricky Rubio. However, the team’s majorly rooting for Coach Saunders’ health.
The outpouring of support today has been overwhelming, has truly reminded me that the goodness of people should never be questioned.
— Flip Saunders (@Flip_Saunders) August 12, 2015
Despite being treated for cancer, Coach Saunders has displayed exceptional strength, resilience, and courage while handling the media and public relations during the Draft. If that’s not all, the coach had to put in a few extra hours in training and travel to the Wolves’ new downtown training facility.
[Image Credit: Rocky Widner / Getty Images]
