Calls for prayer began pouring through Twitter Monday afternoon after conservative talk radio icon Rush Limbaugh announced he has been diagnosed with “advanced lung cancer.”
The 69-year-old commentator apologized in advance, telling listeners he will likely miss some time on his daily show due to treatments.
After experiencing shortness of breath, Limbaugh contacted his doctors, who ultimately found the illness. He said he first began noticing something was off on his birthday, Jan. 12, and his diagnosis was confirmed by Jan. 20.
Limbaugh said he hopes to be back on air Thursday.
“My intention is to come here every day I can and to do this program as normally and as competently and expertly as I do each and every day, because that is the source of my greatest satisfaction, professionally, personally.”
Limbaugh, who just signed a long-term contract extending his show well into the 2020s, said he initially didn’t plan to share the news of his diagnosis with his listeners because he didn’t want to “burden” them.