Longtime U.S. men’s national team goalkeeper Kasey Keller has revealed that he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2010.
Keller, 56, shared his story for the first time on World Cancer Day, thankfully also noting that he is in full remission.
In 2010, Keller went in for an MRI for a hip injury during his time with the Seattle Sounders. Doctors noticed something concerning during the scan and five days later, the goalkeeper received a cancer diagnosis.
Because the lymphoma was slow moving, doctors determined that it didn’t require immediate treatment and Keller was able to continues his career. In 2011, Keller retired at age 41 and embarked on a career in broadcasting.
Keller began experiencing weight loss and swollen lymph nodes in 2017, with doctors informing him that his diagnosis had changed to large B‑cell lymphoma (LBCL).
After trying several different treatment options with no success, Keller was among the first people to try the new drug Breyanzi when it was introduced in 2021. The results were immediate: Keller was in remission within two months and was given a declaration of “no evidence of disease” at 14 weeks.
Still cancer free, Keller decided to share his story through Bristol Myers Squibb, the maker of Breyanzi.
‘No one should have to navigate this alone. If hearing what I went through helps someone else feel empowered to take their next step, then it’s worth it,’ Keller said.
Who is Kasey Keller?
Keller enjoyed one of the most successful careers of any American goalkeeper, both for club and country.
At the club level, Keller represented a number of top-tier European teams including Millwall, Leicester City, Rayo Vallecano, Tottenham, Borussia Mönchengladbach and Fulham.
Keller was on four World Cup rosters for the USMNT, starting at the 1998 and 2006 tournaments.
When he retired, Keller was the all-time USMNT leader in caps with 102. He now sits second after he was passed by Tim Howard.
Keller was inducted into National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2015.