Beloved ESPN analyst Dick Vitale announced on Wednesday that he has vocal cord cancer. Vitale, who started his college career as an assistant at Rutgers basketball, has detailed what his first day of treatment was like this week.
Having already undergone a previous battle with cancer, Vitale has been upbeat and positive on social media about his cancer diagnosis. In his message on Wednesday, he mentioned that his doctor has told him “to be ready to call games when the college hoops season tips off in the Fall.” That is something that Vitale says is “entirely possible” according to his doctor.
Last April, Vitale’s cancer went into remission. As he did last time, Vitale used social media to show the start of his treatment, something he said he hopes provides comfort and understanding for those also facing a diagnosis of cancer.
He made a couple of social media posts on Friday about where things stand as he begins his six weeks of treatment.
Thanks so much to @espn my 2nd family for 45 yrs.& the fans , coaches & media for their🙏🙏🙏 & ❤️❤️❤️ ! It has really inspired me . Heading now to meet with my head Oncologist about the 6 week Monday thru Friday RADIATION treatments . https://t.co/jsuLAB6s11
— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) July 14, 2023
Just completed my exam from Dr Rick Brown Head of Oncology at Sarasota Memorial Hospital . @SMHCS / next step Monday meeting with Speech Therapist- Tues with Radiation Oncologist & must do bloodwork & CT scan . pic.twitter.com/62PXIzBtLr
— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) July 14, 2023
Tributes have poured in online for Vitale, who has thanked his fans for their encouragement.
After several seasons as a high school basketball coach in north Jersey, Vitale spent three years at Rutgers as an assistant beginning in 1971. He went on to coach several seasons in college at Detroit before heading to the NBA and the Detroit Pistons.
This is an update on my meeting today with Dr ZEITELS. Though I was disappointed with the pathology report, I plan on winning this battle like I did vs Melanoma & Lymphoma ! pic.twitter.com/pu61XJSm43
— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) July 12, 2023
In 1979, he became one of ESPN’s first hires and provided commentary for their first college basketball broadcast.
[lawrence-related id=28403,28373]