Keiko Honda, a former NFL cheerleader who spent six seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars, is making a return to professional cheerleading after overcoming breast cancer.
The 42-year-old has signed with the Sharks, a team in the Indoor Football League, and is eagerly awaiting her chance to express her gratitude to those who supported her through her illness.
In 2018, Honda left her job at a trading company where she had worked for over a decade and moved to the United States to pursue her dream of becoming an NFL cheerleader. She successfully earned a spot with the Jaguars and, through grueling annual auditions, remained with the team for six consecutive seasons — the maximum allowed under team regulations — through the 2023–24 season.
Honda first noticed a lump in her left breast around 2019. Initially dismissing it as a fatty deposit, she grew concerned as it grew larger. In the summer of 2023, she returned to Japan for an examination and was told there was a high likelihood of it being cancerous.
That fall, she was diagnosed with breast cancer in the U.S., a revelation that filled her with fear and uncertainty.
At the time, she was in the midst of her final NFL season — the culmination of her years of effort. Determined to see it through, she consulted with her doctor, who reassured her that the cancer was likely Stage 1 and progressing slowly. With that guidance, Honda completed the season while on medication. In her last year, she earned the team’s award for best cheerleader among second-year and veteran members, capping her career on a high note.
Honda underwent surgery in February 2024, followed by 3½ months of chemotherapy. She endured severe nausea and bone pain, but encouragement from her fans and former teammates kept her spirits high.
“Cheerleaders always keep smiling, no matter how tough things get,” Honda said. “The mental strength I developed through cheerleading helped me push through.”
Losing her hair due to treatment was especially painful, as she considered her hair her “life” as a cheerleader. Yet, she decided to shave her head before her hair fell out on its own. Embracing her new reality, she wore colorful wigs and focused on her recovery.
Honda completed radiation therapy in October and began chasing her next dream. In January, she passed the Sharks’ cheerleading audition and is now training hard for the season opener later this month. Her experience in the NFL instilled in her a new sense of confidence and pride.
“I hope for a world where everyone, regardless of gender, has equal opportunities to shine,” she said.
Honda now advocates for women’s health and early cancer detection.
“Please get regular checkups. That’s all I can say. I still catch myself thinking, ‘This couldn’t have happened to me,’” she shared.
Having experienced immense kindness from those around her, Honda hopes to pay it forward.
“I want to be healthy again so I can extend a helping hand to those in need,” she smiled.
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