Longtime college basketball voice Dick Vitale is expressing optimism in his ongoing battle with cancer, revealing that his latest treatments are yielding encouraging results. The 87-year-old took to social media on Wednesday to report that his most recent blood work came back exceptionally well, and the immunotherapy he is undergoing is successfully combating the disease.
Vitale's medical journey began in 2021 when he first disclosed a melanoma diagnosis. After overcoming that, he faced lymphoma and, once declared cancer-free, was diagnosed with vocal cord cancer in 2023. The following year brought another challenge: lymph node cancer, which required surgical intervention.
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Throughout his career, Vitale has been a pillar of ESPN's college basketball coverage, earning the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance in 2022. That honor is named after his late friend, Jim Valvano, the former North Carolina State coach who succumbed to adenocarcinoma in 1993. Vitale has also dedicated significant effort to fundraising for The V Foundation for Cancer Research, an organization Valvano co-founded.
While Vitale made sporadic appearances on ESPN during the previous season, he has yet to announce any plans for the upcoming campaign. His latest health update offers a glimmer of hope to fans and colleagues alike, as the beloved broadcaster continues to fight with characteristic resilience.
Originally reported by nypost.
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