Nick Cannon Calls Himself a 'Lupus Warrior' While Getting Blood Work: 'Health Is the Real Wealth'

Nick Cannon is continuing to use his platform to share his lupus journey and help others living with the disease.

On April 23, the Masked Singer host, 43, posted a photo on his Instagram Stories of him getting blood work done, calling himself a lupus warrior. 

“Constant reminder that health is the real wealth!!! #lupuswarrior💜💜💜💜” the multi-hyphenate star wrote alongside the image.

Lupus is an autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system mistakes healthy tissues as foreign invaders and attacks them rather than targeting the bad bacteria and viruses. It causes inflammation that can affect the joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, brain, heart, and lungs. There is currently no cure for the disease.

In January 2022, Cannon marked a decade since receiving his lupus diagnosis with a throwback video featured on The Nick Cannon Show. In the six-minute video, which is filmed in black-and-white, Cannon consulted doctors, underwent physical change and shifted his diet.

"Ten years ago, I experienced a sudden and mysterious illness that almost took my life," he told his audience before playing the clip. "At the time, I had no idea it was lupus. And, you know me, I always have to have a camera on. So I would literally open up my phone, grab my camera and I would talk to the camera, and I documented the entire health journey."

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

In the clip, Cannon explained that while on a family vacation he landed in the hospital after experiencing shortness of breath, swelling and pain. Doctors later told him he had kidney failure. 

At one point, he even faced a near-fatal situation when his doctor found blood clots in his lungs. "It's the last place you wanna be, man. Doctors telling you you could die," he said.

After the doctor discovered the clots in his lungs, Cannon was forced to cancel work commitments and focus on his health.

"I have been diagnosed with lupus, and after a decade of close calls, blood transfusions, chemotherapy and hospitalizations, I continue to push through," he said at the time. "Throughout this journey, I had to change everything about the way I live my life, and it wasn't easy."

Although Cannon had to make some dramatic life changes, he came out stronger in the end. He explained in the voiceover, "day-by-day I laid a foundation both mentally and physically to build back the life that I had almost lost to this disease."