Legendary NBA player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar went public today with the news that he has been diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer known as chronic myeloid leukemia, or CML. 62 year-old Abdul-Jabbar, one of the most recognized sports figures and the former center for the Los Angeles Lakers, received the news of his illness last December.

After experiencing hot flashes, he felt something was not right, so he made an appointment. Medical tests revealed an abnormally high white blood cell count. The National Cancer Institute describes CML as a "slowly progressing disease in which too many white blood cells are made in the bone marrow." Because his cancer was fortunately diagnosed in the early stages, he was optimistic about beating it and finding all possible treatment options. Aside from having to have his blood levels checked on a regular basis, Abdul-Jabbar tells CNN that his quality of life hasn't significantly been affected.

Still, he has made it his mission to educate people about the disease, especially after he learned how many cancer patients choose not to take their medication. Abdul-Jabbar has partnered up with pharmaceutical company Novartis to launch a campaign that will raise awareness about the importance of following through with cancer treatment.

"I think it's possible for someone in my position to help save lives," he said. "The message is simple: You have to have the expert advice of a specialist. You have to take your medicine and get your blood analyzed," he said.

Abdul-Jabbar will be launching a Facebook page, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Patient Advocate, sponsored by Novartis to help get the campaign message out.

This isn't Abdul-Jabbar's first encounter with cancer, he says. "My grandfather died from colorectal cancer, my uncle died from colorectal cancer and my father almost died from colorectal cancer."

His past discovery that he possesses the gene for colorectal cancer prompted him to get involved in an awareness campaign in the African-American community. He has also been active in an NBA-sponsored prostate cancer awareness campaign.

The American Cancer Society says that the change of the average person getting CML is about 1 in 500, and slightly more common in men than in women. CML accounts for 10-15% of all leukemias (blood cancers). The five-year survival rate for those diagnosed with CML is 44.4 percent.

To join Kareem in the fight against leukemia, be sure to choose the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society as your cause on SocialVibe!

via CNN