Hugh Freeze is not letting his prostate cancer diagnosis slow him down at all, but that doesn’t mean he’s going through this fight alone. The Auburn head coach was diagnosed with an early form of prostate cancer back in February. He opened up about his health journey in a recent interview on Jeff and Jordan TV and revealed that Tim Tebow has played a major role in his battle with cancer.
Freeze revealed that he has been receiving help from some of the country’s top medical organizations, including the Mayo Clinic, UAB, and Cleveland Clinic. He made what he called a carefully considered decision with “wise counsel from several” experts. The most influential voice in that decision-making process has been Gina Carithers, the CEO of the Prostate Cancer Foundation, whom Freeze has been blessed to use as a guide throughout this journey.
But perhaps the most surprising revelation came when Freeze talked about spending “a long evening with Tim Tebow,” who’s apparently become a major advocate for this approach to cancer treatment. “He’s on this train big time too, and he had some great information for me about some doctors and places that he thought, if I decided I needed more help on the holistic approach, they may help,” Freeze said.
The former Heisman winner has built a strong reputation for his philanthropy through the Tim Tebow Foundation. But he has also worked a lot with cancer patients and families who have faced serious health challenges.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Hugh Freeze’s situation is medically classified as “slow aggressive.” It basically means that the cancer is present but growing slowly enough that immediate intervention is not necessary. Doctors have told him that if he can handle the thought of having something in his body that should not be present, then he can wait until the season is over to assess the situation and go with the best route. And Freeze faces that challenge head-on. He said to his doctor, “The only time I think about it is when you call me.”
When the fall camp kicked off in July, Freeze said that he felt “as good for this camp as I probably have in years.” And even now, he is going strong. The doctors monitor his situation frequently, he gets tests done every two months, and the best thing is, he doesn’t think about it. Tim Tebow’s guidance on holistic approaches and his resources have helped Freeze immensely, and for now, the goal is only to win games.
Read Top Stories First From EssentiallySports
Click here and check box next to EssentiallySports
Hugh Freeze’s update on his cancer diagnosis
Auburn’s head coach didn’t mince words when addressing questions about his recent cancer diagnosis, and his transparency was refreshing. The coach revealed he’s dealing with prostate cancer that was discovered after elevated PSA levels but emphasized he feels “great” and has “zero symptoms other than an old arthritic back that bothers me from time to time.”
Freeze also revealed that after he got the news that he had cancer, his family had asked him to go through the traditional route of removing it. “I know it’s tough sometimes when you hear the c-word, and yeah, you know, to have grandkids and children that look at you and like, ‘What are you going to do, Dad? Take this out.” You know, and they don’t quite understand that. Yes, I could do that, but it kind of uh changes your your life and your body and and the life for Jill and I that that we enjoy.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
But Freeze has opted for the holistic approach, which seems to be working. He shared his recent health update, saying, “Jill started reading like everything in the world on holistic opportunities, maybe to attack it. And that’s what we’ve been doing now since the diagnosis. And he-k, I’m down to like 185 lbs. I feel great, strong, have zero symptoms, and my blood work has been perfect.”
Whatever they are doing under this holistic approach seems to be working, and Freeze now has zero symptoms. Although he will be pushing hard on his treatment after the season is over, this is really great news that they’ve been able to control the symptoms, and he’s feeling better.