Leroy Sievers, NPR Commentator
The National Public Radio commentator who opened up to the radio audience about his battle with cancer died on Friday, August 15 at the age of 53. Leroy Sievers died at his home in Maryland from colon cancer.
Sievers was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2001. Later in 2005, the disease returned as a brain tumor and lung cancer. His report on his own chemothereapy treatment in February 2006 sparked an interest in listeners and was eventually made into a regular talk series on NPR that opened up a new dialogue about cancer and treatment.
After several years of continued spreading of his disease and on-going treatment, Sievers opted to discontinue conventional treatment.
Sievers was a journalist for over 25 years, working for CBS News and ABC News Nightline. He also covered several wars throughout is career.
“Cancer was not in Leroy’s plans. But he turned his battle with cancer into the most dramatic, the most moving and the most important story of his life,” wrote Ted Koppel on NPR’s Web site.
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Tags: colon cancer, Leroy Sievers, life story