Jason Collins, the NBA's first openly gay player, announced Thursday he has Stage 4 glioblastoma, an aggressive and deadly form of brain cancer. He expounded on the diagnosis and shared how he's fighting it in a gut-wrenching yet inspiring piece for ESPN.

Collins says he first began experiencing symptoms in August when he and his husband, film producer Brunson Green, we packing for a trip to the US Open. It was a struggle for Collins to focus and they eventually missed their flight.

In the following weeks, Collins' short-term memory, mental clarity and comprehension declined significantly. Collins also learned via biopsy that his glio had a growth factor of 30%, and if left untreated it would likely result in death within six weeks to three months.

Collins promptly began medication and radiation, and by mid-October he was capable of walking around his neighborhood and handling his phone again. The 13-year NBA veteran is now undergoing targeted chemotherapy in Singapore. Going forward, Collins and his medical team hope to stave off the tumors long enough for him to receive personalized immunotherapy.

With Collins' tumor unresectable, meaning it can't be removed surgically, the average prognosis is 11-13 months. Our thoughts are with Collins and his family as they continue down the road to recovery.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: NBA's first openly gay player reveals Stage 4 brain cancer diagnosis

Reporting by Wajih AlBaroudi, For The Win / For The Win

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