Mike Kennedy, the voice of the Wichita State Shockers men’s basketball team for 44 years, announced that he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
A statement from Kennedy was released Thursday by the Wichita State social media accounts.
Kennedy said he has been a part of 1,419 consecutive broadcasts of men’s basketball games but will miss the upcoming road games at East Carolina on Thursday and Charlotte on Sunday. He said that he's two weeks into treatment and added that he feels good, and the prognosis is good, because it was caught early.
Statement from Mike Kennedy, Voice of Shocker Men’s Basketball -
"Over the 44 years that I have been privileged to be the play-by-play broadcaster for Wichita State athletics, I have been part of 1,419 consecutive broadcasts of men's basketball games without ever missing one, and I have loved every minute of that time, representing the WSU programs and the incredible Shocker fans.
Unfortunately, tonight it is necessary to step back from that labor of love for a moment. I am receiving treatment for prostate cancer, and in order to maintain the optimum schedule for those treatments, I have decided to remain at home and will miss the games at East Carolina and Charlotte. I am roughly two weeks into treatment and tolerating it well and feel good, and if that continues, it is likely I will not miss any more games.
I want everyone to know that we were fortunate to identify my situation early enough that, while there are never any guarantees, the prognosis for a positive outcome is good, and I am receiving excellent medical care. I have always been blessed with good health and probably have been a little nonchalant about that, but my wife Debbie has stayed after me about keeping regular doctor's appointments and it was because of that, that the doctors were able to diagnose the cancer in a timely manner. If there is a message in all of this, I urge all men to get checked regularly.
To this point, I have only shared my diagnosis with my family and the colleagues I work most closely with, but I felt that missing games for the first time in 44 years probably requires an explanation. The support and encouragement I have received beyond my family, from WSU administrators, coaches and my broadcasting teammates, has been overwhelming and gratifying beyond words. Based on how that has made me feel, I encourage all of you, if you know anyone dealing with cancer or any difficult medical diagnosis, to reach out to them – I can't tell you how much your words can mean. Thank you to Shocker Nation for your incredible support over these many years, and I look forward to getting back in action next week and beyond."
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