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National TV Anchor Says He's Been Diagnosed With Cancer

Jay Harris always knew he was at risk for prostate cancer — but knowing didn’t make the diagnosis any easier.

Jay Harris 

Jay Harris 

Photo Credit: Disney/Brian Bowen Smith

ESPN anchor Jay Harris revealed the diagnosis on ABC's Good Morning America.

Photo Credit: ESPN PR

The longtime ESPN anchor revealed his prostate cancer diagnosis on Thursday, June 5.

Harris shared the news in a first-person essay on ESPN Front Row after discussing it on ABC’s Good Morning America. 

“Over a month ago, I received news no one wants to hear: I have prostate cancer,” he wrote. “It’s jarring news for sure, yet unfortunately, it’s not unexpected, given my family history and demographic.”

His treatment will begin with surgery scheduled for Tuesday, June 10.

A Norfolk, Virginia native and 1987 graduate of Old Dominion University, Harris joined ESPN in 2003. 

He’s been a fixture on SportsCenter, especially the 11 p.m. and midnight editions, and has also hosted NFL Live, Baseball Tonight, and Outside The Lines. 

Before ESPN, he anchored the news at WPGH-TV in Pittsburgh and delivered radio reports at WAMO-FM and WOWI-FM.

“Prostate cancer disproportionately affects Black men,” Harris wrote. My dad had a bout with prostate cancer, which he won. I’m 60. It’s something I’ve always been cognizant of.”

A PET scan showed no evidence of the disease spreading, but doctors will know more after surgery. 

“My hope is that they won’t find anything extra so that I can return to work in a month or so, 100 percent healthy,” Harris said.

He also expressed gratitude for support from fellow SportsCenter anchors Hannah Storm and Brian Custer, both of whom have battled cancer, as well as the V Foundation for Cancer Research. 

"My goal in sharing this is to join the many others who also want to normalize this conversation and hopefully provide a bit of guidance and preparation,” he wrote.

The American Cancer Society estimates more than 310,000 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed in 2025.

“If I can use my voice to help anyone in that number, that’s what I want to do,” Harris said. 

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