Esteemed ESPN college basketball analyst Dick Vitale has announced that he has been diagnosed with cancer for the third time. Vitale took to Twitter on Wednesday to share the news, revealing that he underwent surgery in Boston this week and the subsequent tests confirmed that he has vocal cord cancer. He further stated that he will undergo six weeks of radiation treatments.
Despite his diagnosis, Vitale expressed his determination to fight the disease and be ready to call games when the college hoops season begins in the fall. He mentioned that his doctor believes that this scenario is entirely possible.
This is not the first time the 84-year-old Vitale has battled cancer. He has previously been treated for melanoma and lymphoma, and he celebrated being cancer-free in April of last year.
Vitale has been an integral part of ESPN since its inception in 1979, and he played a pivotal role in the network’s first-ever college basketball broadcast. He is also well-known for his dedicated fundraising efforts for cancer research.
Notably, Vitale is closely associated with the late Jim Valvano, his close friend and former college basketball coach. He famously helped Valvano to the stage at the 1993 ESPYs, where Valvano delivered his inspiring “Don’t give up” speech. Valvano tragically succumbed to adenocarcinoma less than two months after the ESPYs.
The basketball community and fans alike have expressed their support and well wishes for Vitale as he embarks on this latest battle against cancer.
Photo credit – ESPN Press Room / Bristol, CT
