Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is being treated for a rare form of leukemia.  He was diagnosed last December with chronic myeloid leukemia, he told The Associated Press on Monday.

The doctor didn’t give any guarantees but stated Kareem has a very good chance to live and does not have to make any drastic change in his lifestyle.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is taking an oral medication for the disease and is a paid spokesman for the Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis, which makes a drug that treats the illness.

Kareem wants to bring awareness to the illness the same way Magic Johnson did for HIV.  Allegedly, this form of blood cancer can be fatal if left untreated.