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Deion Sanders Lands Endorsement Deal Following Cancer Diagnosis
Andrew Wevers/Getty Images

Deion Sanders deployed his marketing prowess in an entirely different light.

The Colorado head coach revealed Monday that he had his bladder removed in May after a bladder cancer diagnosis. During his press conference, Sanders discussed his reliance on Depend.

"I depend on Depend, if you know what I mean," Sanders said. "I truly depend on Depend. I cannot control my bladder."

A spokesperson confirmed to USA Today's Brent Schrotenboer that Sanders has an endorsement deal with Depend.

"Depend is proud to help millions of people live more confidently every day with comfort and protection they can trust – this includes Coach," the company said in a statement. "Wearing Depend isn't a sign of weakness, it's a badge of resilience. It takes real courage to face health challenges head-on. We champion and celebrate Coach's strength to share his experience with the world, which makes us proud to partner with, and support, him on this journey. Together, we know his voice will empower others to stand tall and help break the stigma that can come with wearing products like Depend."

Sanders joked about facing the same challenges as his infant grandson and warned that Colorado may have to install a Porta Potty on the sideline. (Perhaps that's another forthcoming partnership.)

Although he made light of his circumstances, Sanders' openness could make a profound difference by raising awareness and removing stigmas. A doctor likened the situation to former First Lady Betty Ford bringing more attention to breast cancer.

"He seems like the ideal person to take something like this on," Adam Kibel, the urology department chair at Mass General Brigham in Massachusetts, told Schrotenboer. "He's got a lot of humor. He's got… cred. People look at him and say, 'That guy’s a winner.'"

Sanders hoped others enduring the same issues would take solace in his candidness.

"I know there's a lot of people out there going through what I'm going through what I'm going through and dealing with what I'm dealing with," Sanders said. "Let's stop being ashamed of it, and let's deal with it."

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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