Dick Vitale Health Issues

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ESPN - ESPN analyst Dick Vitale says he has vocal cord cancer

Longtime ESPN college basketball analyst Dick Vitale said Wednesday that he has vocal cord cancer and will need six weeks of radiation to treat it.

"I plan to fight like hell to be ready to call games when the college hoops season tips off in the Fall," Vitale wrote in a statement posted on Twitter.

The 84-year-old Hall of Famer said last month his "past issues on my vocal cords have returned" and that he would be on "on total voice rest for 6-8 weeks" while recovering from a July 11 procedure.

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ESPN - ESPN's Dick Vitale says vocal cord cancer 'is gone,' but delays return

Hall of Famer Dick Vitale said his vocal cord cancer "is gone" but he needs more time for voice healing and is not yet ready to return to his longtime position as an ESPN college basketball analyst, it was announced Monday.

"While I'm disappointed with the latest developments, I remain hopeful," Vitale, 84, said in a statement. "The cancer is gone, which is amazing news, yet the impact of the treatments has taken its toll on my voice and requires more healing."

Vitale, who was diagnosed with cancer in July and underwent radiation treatments, was ordered to rest his voice for months and had hoped to return at the end of November. However, Dr. Steven Zeitels, director of the MGH Center for Laryngeal Surgery and Voice Rehabilitation Center, recommended that Vitale rest his vocal cords further.

No specific date for his return has been set.

Love him or hate him, he's an icon of college basketball and his time is probably running out simply due to his age. I hope we see him back though and he gets the recognition he deserves when he does so.

[WuDrWu]

I will always remember Mr. Vitale pausing from his book signing at WSU to thank me (Shockernet) when I presented him a check on behalf of BostonWu & his family. A check that was funded through the good people of this fine forum. It was a humbling moment that I hope to never forget.


And it's something we should do more often.

[BostonWu]

I will always remember Mr. Vitale pausing from his book signing at WSU to thank me (Shockernet) when I presented him a check on behalf of BostonWu & his family. A check that was funded through the good people of this fine forum. It was a humbling moment that I hope to never forget.


And it's something we should do more often.

Honestly, the kindest gesture that I've been the recipient of in my half century on this earth. And that's not hyperbole. I will never forget that. Will always be appreciative of our leader the Good Doc and the entirety of this generous SN community.

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ESPN - ESPN analyst Dick Vitale announces cancer diagnosis

ESPN college basketball analyst Dick Vitale announced Friday that he will have surgery to remove cancer from his neck.

In a post on X, Vitale said a biopsy of a lymph node in his neck showed cancer.

Vitale said surgery is scheduled for Tuesday.

This is the latest cancer diagnosis for Vitale, 85.

In 2021, Vitale was diagnosed with lymphoma, months after he had multiple surgeries to remove melanoma. He chronicled his treatments and recovery on social media, posting photos of doctor visits and hospital stays while issuing motivational tips recorded before he was put on voice rest. In 2022, he announced that he was cancer-free. Vitale had vocal cord cancer last summer and underwent radiation treatment. In November, he announced he was cancer-free but had to push back a return to ESPN broadcasts.

Vitale said in a message shared by ESPN PR that he feels "fantastic physically" and plans to do "everything that I can control in winning this latest new setback."

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[Kel Varnsen]

Great news.

I know he can be too bombastic at times, but it is refreshing to hear someone like him speak who genuinely enjoys college basketball as opposed to listening to Jay Bilas, a bloviating know-it-all.

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ESPN - Dick Vitale's return to broadcasting on hold after fall

Hall of Fame broadcaster Dick Vitale will not be returning to broadcasting next week after all.

Vitale announced Saturday that he has been hospitalized after a fall at his Florida home. In a post on X, Vitale said doctors told him he is "making great strides" and surgery is not required.

The news comes one day after ESPN announced Vitale would call the Duke-Wake Forest men's college basketball game Jan. 25 at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston Salem, North Carolina, which would have been his first time on air since 2023.

Vitale, 85, has battled four different types of cancer in the past 3½ years. Most recently, he underwent surgery in summer 2024 after a biopsy of a lymph node in his neck showed cancer. Vitale announced on Jan. 8 that he was cancer-free.

"I'm devastated that I won't be courtside with my ESPN buddy Dave O'Brien and with all the players and fans, especially because of the overwhelming response I received when news of my planned return was announced," Vitale said. "I was anxiously awaiting the chance to feel the excitement and energy of a college basketball environment for the first time in nearly two years."

Vitale added that he is expected to make a full recovery, but no timetable for his return to broadcasting has been made.

"Despite this latest setback, I feel blessed to have the support of my family, friends and ESPN teammates," Vitale said. "I'm a lucky guy and as I've said before, I will continue to do whatever it takes to get back to calling the sport I love."

This is unfortunate. It's pretty obvious his time as a broadcaster coming to an end is in the near future, but he deserves a comeback after all he's been through. Hopefully he gets a game in this year, even if it's just a one off.