Washington Wizards" Nene continues to keep the faith, five years after cancer scare Nene, 30, didn't even realize that last month he had reached the fifth anniversary of his surgery to remove the tumor because he was more concerned about fighting through a stomach virus to help the Wizards defeat the Orlando Magic that evening. Still feeling the effects of his stomach ailment a day later, Nene simply reacted with a smile and surprise when told of the milestone as he munched on a grilled cheese sandwich and sipped soup in his hotel room. Wow. I don't keep track," he said. I don't keep track. But when the Wizards made a surprise visit to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis a few weeks later, Nene was forced to confront his toughest physical challenge as the players walked through the patient care center and medicine room, where children received cancer treatment. There, Nene was suddenly overwhelmed by the sensations of his own chemotherapy treatments - the burning in his limbs, the goose bumps, the taste on his tongue that he described as "salty and spicy," and the fear that his organs would eventually shut down. It was like, amazing. A long time I don't feel like that," Nene said, before reflecting on that difficult period. For four weeks, I was sick, I was weak. I could feel the liquid moving in the veins. I feel like a science fiction movie, where the liquid comes all over your body. It was like that. God is going to provide Nene credits his deep faith for helping him become the first player from Brazil to be drafted into the NBA and for giving him the strength to get through the many physical and emotional hurdles that have followed. Before cancer, there was the torn anterior cruciate ligament, sprained medial collateral ligament and torn meniscus in his right knee suffered two minutes into the 2005-06 season. Before the knee injury, there was leaving tiny Sao Carlos as a teenager and adjusting to a different culture while speaking little English. And before moving away from all he knew and loved, Nene had to prove himself as a worthy basketball talent, playing in cheap shoes covered in duct tape after they had completely splintered and surviving on what little scraps his poor family could provide. "I always remember what I've been through to be here," said Nene, who was born Maybyner Rodney Hilario before having his name legally changed to the Portuguese word for "baby" in 2003. I have no shoes, I have no clothes, but I was blessed. I remember my mom. She have money to buy the food or give to God like you're supposed to, because we're Christian. She give to God and say, "You know, we don't have food today, but God is going to provide our future." "