Ice Skater Maia Shibutani Reveals She Just Had Kidney Surgery To Remove Tumor

Maia Shibutani just revealed some startling news – she just had surgery on her kidney!

The 25-year-old Olympic medalist shared a photo of herself in a hospital bed and detailed her journey over the past few months, from finding out about a mass, to getting the tumor removed.

“It’s been a really tough week. Back in October, I got sick and had to go to the ER while I was in New York. It ended up being a stomach virus, but they ran some tests that showed an abnormality – it was recommended that I have a follow-up appointment to take a closer look,” Maia wrote. “After an MRI earlier this week in LA, I was told that I had a small mass on one of my kidneys.
Receiving this news has been incredibly shocking and difficult to handle. I’ve been so scared, but I have had the full support of my family, doctors, and nurses.”

“I had surgery yesterday to remove the tumor. The surgery was successful and I was able to keep the rest of my kidney,” she added. “I am in recovery at the hospital and have been in a lot of pain post-surgery, but I am grateful. My doctor said there is a 60/40 chance that the tumor was malignant versus benign (we will know soon), but I am young, healthy, and feel fortunate that this was detected so early.”

“While this is deeply personal news, I don’t want rumors to spread, or for anyone to worry in case people say they saw me at the hospital. (Next time, just say “hi”) • I am going to try and stay positive and focus on my recovery. I appreciate all of the support and good vibes sent my way. My fingers are crossed, too. ❤️,” Maia concluded.

We are so glad to hear that Maia is doing better and we wish her a healthy recovery!