Olympic Medalist Gabriela Dabrowski Opens Up About Battling Cancer: 'It Had to Happen to Me'

Canadian tennis star and three-time Grand Slam champion Gabriela Dabrowski is marking a poignant milestone this spring—one year since her breast cancer diagnosis. In a recent interview, Dabrowski revealed how the life-altering news reshaped her perspective on life and success.

The 32-year-old athlete, who clinched her first Olympic medal in Paris mere months after her diagnosis, first broke the news to her fans in an Instagram post on New Year’s Eve. While reflecting on a season of remarkable triumphs, she shared the secret she had been carrying throughout her journey on the court.

Dabrowski initially discovered a lump in her left breast during a self-examination in 2023. However, the finding was dismissed by a doctor at the time. It wasn’t until the spring of 2024, when a Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) doctor recommended further evaluation, that she was diagnosed with breast cancer after undergoing a series of tests.

"I don’t regret what the doctor told me then [in 2023], because I’m really happy with how my year turned out, what I learned, what I experienced," Dabrowski told Olympics.com last week. "It's an acknowledgment that cancer is something really messed up and it can be very scary."

Despite her diagnosis, Dabrowski continued to compete at an elite level. In a remarkable display of resilience, she claimed two doubles titles, including the prestigious WTA Tour Final, and achieved a career-high doubles ranking of No. 3. Her crowning moment came at the Summer Olympics, where she won her first medal, an achievement that spoke volumes about her determination and grit.

Reflecting on the transformative impact of her diagnosis, Dabrowski shared how cancer brought clarity to her life. "Cancer had to happen to me; something had to shake me, and cancer did that," she said. "It shook me. It’s not to say that I wasn’t grateful for my life before, or the people in it, or the experiences in life that I lead. But it was something bigger, because it really shook me to my core of what it meant to be alive, what it meant to play a sport for a living."

Her journey also became a platform for raising awareness about the importance of early detection. While she initially feared that cancer might define her identity forever, Dabrowski has since embraced her role as a survivor. "Early on in my diagnosis, I was afraid of cancer becoming a part of my identity forever," she wrote in her Instagram post. "I don’t feel that way anymore. It is a privilege to be able to call myself a survivor."

Gabriela Dabrowski’s story is a testament to the power of perseverance and perspective, serving as an inspiration to athletes and non-athletes alike. Her courage in the face of adversity reminds us that even life’s most daunting challenges can lead to profound growth and newfound purpose.