ESPN college football analyst Rod Gilmore has been diagnosed with a form of blood cancer but projects an optimistic forecast for his battle with the disease. In a statement provided to ESPN, Gilmore said his diagnosis came early through a regular check up and plans to work a regular schedule this season.
His statement:
I was recently diagnosed with a form of blood cancer known as Multiple Myeloma and there are a few things I wanted to share.
First, I feel great and my prognosis is good. I have great support with an amazing medical team, an incredible wife and family, and amazing friends and colleagues.
Second, my condition was discovered during an annual physical, which I’ve had done for more than 25 years. Early detection is critical and I encourage all of you to get annual physicals–cancer does not discriminate and it will hide if you let it.
Finally, amazing advances have been made in cancer research and treatment, principally due to your generous donations to organizations like The V Foundation. Donations work. We are so close to finding cures to some forms of cancer in the not too distant future. Please continue to support research of any kind in whatever way you can. It’s making a difference.
I’m looking forward to enjoying another incredible and exciting college football season with all of you. See you Week 1 in Nashville.
A former Stanford defensive back, Gilmore has been with ESPN since 1996 as a color commentator and studio analyst. Working alongside play-by-play man Mark Jones and sideline reporter Quint Kessenich, Gilmore will be on the scene for South Carolina at Vanderbilt on Thursday, Sept. 1.