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Pro Football Hall of Famer and Miami Dolphins legend Dan Marino had a wake-up call in 2007 when he received a personal health diagnosis.
Now, he’s sharing his journey to help others who may be affected as well.
Marino learned that year he had been diagnosed with Metabolic Dysfunction Associated Steatosis Hepatitis (MASH), also known as fatty liver disease. In partnership with Novo Nordisk and its Unordinary Stories campaign, Marino joined a group of former athletes to share their journeys.
“Novo Nordisk is a company that I wanted to get involved with because they’re trying to make a difference,” he told Fox News Digital on Monday. “There’s one in 20 Americans that have fatty liver disease, MASH, and 15 million Americans have that. It’s an awareness campaign to basically make people aware to go see your doctor, and it’s something that’s manageable.”
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While Marino wouldn’t reveal the stories of fellow athletes in the Unordinary Stories campaign, the project allows greats like him the opportunity to share significant life moments and transitions that often happen behind the scenes. And, of course, with any life change, there’s support along the way.
For Marino, the diagnosis may have come as a shock, but he was positive after hearing what his doctor had to say.
“It’s manageable with early detection,” he said. “So, go to your doctor and get your normal checkups like you always do. Diet and exercise are always the big thing.”
Marino, who finished top 10 in NFL all-time passing yards and touchdowns after 17 seasons, pointed to a lesson in sports that has helped him since learning of his diagnosis.
“There’s one thing I always take away from football, athletics and sports: that’s being positive,” he said. “Look forward and look for answers and see what you can do and how you can be the best you can be. I would say I understood this is an issue, they let me know. But the biggest part is that it is manageable and it’s dealing with that.
“Once again, having that great attitude and doing the things you need to do to take care of yourself. There’s a lot of examples of that in everybody’s life, there really are.”
Today, Marino continues to exercise and stick to a healthy diet to manage his MASH. He turned 64 on Monday, and with the support of his wife, Claire, he continues to be proactive in reshaping his lifestyle.
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