Longtime ESPN broadcaster Dick Vitale revealed Monday he has lymphoma and will undergo six months of chemotherapy.
It's the second form of cancer the 82-year-old college basketball commentator has been diagnosed with in recent months. He announced in August that he underwent multiple surgeries for melanoma, which he said has been fully treated and is unrelated.
Vitale, a member of the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame, said he has been told by medical experts that his lymphoma has a 90 percent cure rate and he can continue working while receiving treatment and monitoring results.
"I’ve seen firsthand the devastation that cancer can have on families, on children, and on all of our loved ones," Vitale said in a statement for ESPN. "It can bring you to your knees. It’s physically and emotionally exhausting. It robs you of so many things, including life itself for some of the most unfortunate patients. I never lose sight of that, and that’s why I feel so lucky."
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Vitale stressed the importance of early detection in helping to manage each diagnosis. He promised to do everything within his power to win his latest battle.
"If you see me, please just give me a fist bump and say a prayer that I can return from being 82 years old to acting like I’m 12," Vitale wrote in closing. "Thanks so much for your love."
