Popular conservative radio host Michael Medved has stage three throat cancer, and is taking a leave of absence while undergoing treatment.
Medved told his listeners on the air and in a letter on Friday afternoon.
"I always knew that it would take something serious to keep me away from the microphone I cherish for an extended period of time," Medved wrote. "As it turns out, I am facing something serious. It's called cancer."
He said he was diagnosed in the middle of December and began treatment immediately.
"My prognosis for full recovery is very good; in the great majority of cases, this is a highly curable form of cancer," he wrote. "In fact, given my fierce desire to keep doing the show I managed to broadcast every day while completing more than half of my daily radiation and weekly chemotherapy treatments."
Medved said he'd like to keep broadcasting, "but my voice -- the most essential tool in radio -- won't cooperate."
Fellow talk radio host Mark Davis, an occasional guest host for Rush Limbaugh in the past, will fill in while Medved is away. Other fill-in hosts will be David Boze and Arthur Brooks.
Medved said he'd like to return to his show shortly after his "last scheduled radiation treatment" on February 26.
"The exact time of my return will be determined by my medical progress, but rest assured that I'll be straining to get back to work just as soon as humanly possible," he wrote.
Medved has been a nationally syndicated radio host for eighteen years. He has also been a movie reviewer in the past -- for several years he contributed reviews to CNN, the owner of this web site.
On Friday, he made sure to mention that just because he'll be off the air doesn't mean he'll "be off the grid," adding that he'll continue to write columns and commentaries.
The host wrapped up his note to his radio family by saying that he would be speaking with his fans again soon.
"Here's hoping for cures, and causes, well beyond the range of earthly laws or rulers," he wrote. "You'll be hearing from me soon."
