Will Reeve Reveals Testicular Cancer Battle & The Powerful Way His Parents Inspired Him

Oct 01, 2026 by apost team

ABC News national correspondent Will Reeve has shared that he was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2026, describing an experience that deepened lessons he learned from his late parents, actor Christopher Reeve and singer and activist Dana Reeve.

“I was raised to share one’s struggles if, in doing so, that might help others,” Reeve told PEOPLE.

Will was 2 when his father was paralyzed from the neck down following a 1995 horseback-riding accident. Christopher later became a leading advocate for spinal cord injury research and quality-of-life support. According to the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, his organization merged with the American Paralysis Association in 1999; Dana’s name was added to the foundation after her death in 2006. Christopher died in 2004 at age 52, while Dana died of lung cancer in 2006 at 44.

The example set by his parents shaped Will’s decision to discuss his own health publicly and frame the experience around awareness rather than sympathy.

In April 2026, Reeve noticed a tender lump on one of his testicles. He initially thought it would disappear, but his wife, event planner Amanda Dubin Reeve, encouraged him to seek medical attention. The couple married on Jan. 17, 2026, in Miami.

An ultrasound revealed a mass, and Will underwent an orchiectomy in early May 2026. The National Cancer Institute identifies inguinal orchiectomy, which removes the affected testicle, as the standard procedure used to diagnose and treat testicular cancer.

Pathology showed that 95 percent of Will’s tumor was embryonal carcinoma, a type of nonseminomatous germ-cell cancer. The diagnosis led to further treatment after testing showed that the disease had reached lymph nodes in his abdomen.

On June 10, 2026, Will underwent a roughly six-hour operation to remove abdominal lymph nodes. Three tested positive for cancer, and he subsequently completed two cycles of chemotherapy, finishing treatment on July 31, 2026.

Before treatment, Will banked sperm because he and Amanda hope to have children. The National Cancer Institute advises that some testicular-cancer treatments can affect fertility and notes that sperm banking is an established fertility-preservation option.

His treatment also carried a powerful family connection. Will received care at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, where his mother, Dana, had been treated for lung cancer.

“The irony is not lost on me that 20 years after my mom died of lung cancer at Memorial Sloan Kettering, there I was in the same building getting treated for cancer,” he said.

During chemotherapy, Will continued working when he felt able, traveling between “Good Morning America” and the hospital. He also used scalp cooling in an effort to reduce hair loss. Although medication helped control nausea, he said he experienced headaches, bone pain and other treatment effects.

At a Sept. 8, 2026 follow-up, Will said his scans were clear. He will continue surveillance with imaging and blood tests, a standard part of follow-up care for testicular cancer and an important safeguard after treatment ends.

“I’m fortunate that I caught this early. Yes, I had to jump through some flaming hoops to get to the other side, but it could have been much worse had I ignored it or delayed going to the doctor.”

For Will, the experience reinforced lessons about listening to his body, relying on loved ones and focusing on what matters most. It also gave new meaning to the resilience and openness he witnessed throughout his childhood.

“I’ve been reminded what means the most to me,” he said.

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Christopher Reeve said his diagnosis reinforced the importance of loved ones and focusing on what matters most. Who has supported you through a difficult chapter in your life? Let us know, and then pass this story along to someone whose support has made a difference to you!