Popular streamer and YouTuber Tyler ‘Ninja’ Blevins has been diagnosed with melanoma, a form of skin cancer.
The 32-year-old content creator rose to fame after streaming Halo 3 esports for Cloud9. However, the streamer quickly broke records for streaming in 2017 following the release of Fortnite Battle Royale. The popular battle royale game is now in its seventh year, deep into Chapter 5 Season 2.
In a surprising announcement, Blevins revealed to fans that he has been diagnosed with melanoma. However, the worrying skin cancer has been caught very early, meaning the streamer should have a full recovery.
Ninja explained on social media that he went to a dermatologist for an annual mole check. However, a mole on the bottom of the streamer’s foot was found to no longer be benign, instead holding cancerous cells. While the affected area has been quickly removed, future check-ups are still scheduled to make sure the issue hasn’t spread.
“I’m still in a bit of shock but want to keep you all updated,” Blevins told fans. “A few weeks ago I went into a dermatologist for an annual skin/mole check that Jess proactively scheduled for me. There was a mole on the bottom of my foot that they wanted to remove just to be careful. It came back as melanoma, but they are optimistic that we caught it in the early stages.”
“I had another dark spot appear near it, so today they biopsied that and removed a larger area around the melanoma with the hopes that under the microscope they will see clear non-melanoma edges and we will know we got it,” he continued. “I’m grateful to have hope in finding this early, but please take this as a PSA to get skin checkups.”
Melanoma is a type of cancer that targets and affects melanocytes, the cells that produce melanin that gives skin its colour. To make sure you’re not affected, doctors suggest regular, annual skin checkups to prevent the spread of the cancer.
If you’re worried about melanoma, check for changes in your skin that affect the size or colour of a skin spot or area. Symptoms such as itching or bleeding can also be signs of melanoma. For more information, check the NHS symptoms list here.
Fans have come out in droves to support Ninja with their own stories of beating the cancer. With Ninja’s diagnosis being caught so early, the Fortnite streamer is likely to make a full recovery.
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