Bodybuilding legend Lee Haney is in urgent need of a kidney donor. The 8x Mr. Olympia champion confirmed the news on Instagram after dispelling false rumors of his death. His family is now prayerfully hoping to find a living donor for the icon.

“I am alive and well. It’s appalling to see how fast rumors can spread,” Lee Haney posted on his Instagram handle on March 24. Concern for him has grown since March 23, when Haney’s children, Olympia Shirleese and Joshua L Haney, shared the news in an Instagram post with a caption:

“First time sharing this- my dad needs a kidney donor. Please keep him in your prayers and share if you can. He is a Blessing to so many others and breathes life into all he does🙏🏿🖤 there is more work to do”.

The post also reads: “26 years ago, I was told I would eventually need a kidney transplant. Through faith, proper nutrition, and exercise, I was able to delay it for many years. Now my kidney is failing, and I’m prayerfully hoping to find a living donor.”

The former professional bodybuilder also admitted that his wife and grandchildren will always be grateful if someone donates a kidney.

• The Instagram post also included a QR code and link for the donor, who will fall under the guidelines:
• The donor must be healthy
• The donor must be between the ages of 18 and 65.

All expenses and medical costs will be covered by the Haney family.

On March 24, the bodybuilding legend expressed gratitude to his fans and the bodybuilding community for their prayers. Haney also demonstrated positivity and mental strength, stating, “My approach is to be proactive as I face this current challenge. My faith in the Lord has always been my superpower.”

During this tough time, legends from the bodybuilding community showed their support for Haney. The 5 time Arnold Classic winner, Dexter Jackson, showed his support by saying, “God is good, champ. We love you and do happy you and your family are well.”

According to Science Daily, a bodybuilding lifestyle and supplements like anabolic st****ds help bodybuilders gain muscle, but they can also harm their kidney functions.

With that said, this is not the first time a legendary bodybuilder faced kidney-related issues.

Bodybuilders Who Faced Kidney-Related Issues, Like Lee Haney

In a 2019 interview with RX Muscle, Chris Bumstead, when asked about his illness, said, “IGA Nephropathy, so the autoimmune disease kind of affected my kidneys.”

It is Berger’s disease, a kidney condition that occurs when immunoglobulin A accumulates in the kidney. However, the Canadian bodybuilder soon recovered from the disease with proper medication.

Then came Fouad Abiad, who took retirement from bodybuilding due to kidney damage.

Kidney issues in this sport have been seen from time to time. Another severe case of kidney issues was Flex Wheeler, who had to go through a kidney transplant in 2003. By 2023, his kidneys started showing issues again and showed signs of failure.

There are many other instances of kidney disorders in sports, and Haney's situation shows that even the legends are not immune to intense health issues.

So, we at Bodybuilding Bros are praying for the bodybuilding icon's speedy recovery.

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Written by

Supradeep Dutta

Edited by

Ashvinkumar Patil