Valorant streamer Kyedae Shymko didn’t have a speech ready for her award, so she went with a cancer joke instead.
Kyedae was the surprise winner of Valorant streamer of the year at the 2023 Streamer Awards, as even she herself didn’t have a speech ready. While she’s dealt with countless trolls since winning, Kydae took the sudden victory with grace and confidence. In lieu of a speech, she chose to instead roast her own health situation to the appreciation of the crowd. Here’s Kyedae’s cancer joke at the Streamer Awards explained.
The Streamer Awards, hosted by QTCinderella, uses a mix of panel and fan voting to determine who wins each category. Thanks to mass fan votes, Kyedae was a shock winner for Valorant streamer of the year. This has proved controversial within the streaming community, with some fans even harassing the victorious streamer. After hearing her name announced, Kyedae appeared caught off guard as she walked toward the stage.
“I didn’t have a speech prepared today because I was expecting someone else to win. But I did talk to QT on the sideline, and this was my Make-A-Wish, so, thank you very much, everyone! I appreciate it. Thank you!” Kyedae said.
Kyedae’s joke may have gone over some viewers’ heads, especially if they don’t live in America or Europe. The Make-A-Wish Foundation is an American charity service that creates special moments for children affected by serious ailments. Common wishes include meeting famous celebrities, going on vacation, and paying for treatment. Kyedae joked that winning Valorant streamer of the year was her wish after revealing her cancer diagnosis earlier this year.
The morbid joke immediately made some social media users concerned, as the Make-A-Wish Foundation is normally associated with terminal illnesses, including cancer. However, Kyedae is currently undergoing treatment for the affliction and will hopefully recover soon. As for its reception in the crowd, the Streamer Awards audience reacted to Kyedae with the appropriate mix of surprised gasps and laughter for her daring cancer joke.
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