The Ottawa native says she underwent two surgeries in Jacksonville, Florida after her diagnosis, made at an early stage of her cancer after the medical team of the women’s international Tennis tour (WTA) detected a mass.
Dabrowski, 32, struggled to lift his left arm after surgeries but put off some treatments to be able to compete in the prestigious Wimbledon tournament and the Olympics.
This decision allowed him to win a bronze medal in mixed doubles alongside Quebecer Félix Auger-Aliassime in Paris this summer. At Wimbledon, she reached the final.
Dabrowski then underwent further treatment at the end of the season, which did not prevent her from winning the end-of-season WTA tournament with her New Zealand partner Erin Routliffe. “It seems completely unreal.”
“Why am I sharing this story now?” Dabrowski wrote. “For a long time, I wasn’t ready to expose myself to possible attention and questions. I wanted to get my head around everything, as well as handle things privately and with only those closest to me who knew.”
“Early after my diagnosis, I feared that cancer would become a part of my identity forever. I don’t feel that way anymore and it’s a privilege for me to be a survivor.”
– Gabriela Dabrowski
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Dabrowski thanks everyone who cared for and supported her. She says she is “lucky” “because many people don’t have the luxury of being able to tell their story.”
Auger-Aliassime and Dabrowski were named the 2024 players of the year in the country, according to Tennis Canada. Together, they won a first medal for Canada in tennis in 24 years.
Dabrowski also won the doubles player of the year award for the 12th consecutive time.
With information from The Canadian Press.
