Posted on 04/05/2005 8:05:50 AM PDT by waynebobo
Edited on 04/05/2005 8:16:38 AM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
ABC news anchor Peter Jennings has lung cancer.
XXXXX DRUDGE REPORT XXXXX TUE APRIL 05, 2005 10:43:02 ET XXXXX
ABCNEWS PETER JENNINGS LUNG CANCER
**Exclusive**
Peter Jennings and David Westin sent the following e-mails to their ABC News colleagues this morning:
David Westin's e-mail
This morning, Peter Jennings told his senior staff at World News Tonight that yesterday afternoon he was diagnosed with lung cancer. I include below the full text of Peter’s note to the group of people with whom he works most closely. He will begin outpatient treatment next week here in New York. It’s both Peter’s and my expectation that he will anchor World News Tonight during the period of treatment to the extent he can do so comfortably; but, we should also expect him to be off the broadcast from time to time, depending on how he feels. Charlie Gibson, Elizabeth Vargas, and others will be substituting for Peter as necessary and when their other responsibilities permit.
All of us at ABC News have watched over the years as Peter has led us on various assignments with strength and with courage. We’ve done our best to support him in these endeavors. Now, Peter’s been given a tough assignment. He’s already bringing to this new challenge the courage and strength we’ve seen so often in his reporting from the field and in anchoring ABC News. I know that all of us will give him every bit of support that he needs and asks for. Peter will once again lead the way, but we will stand with him at every turn.
Peter’s Email
Dear All – Forgive me the group mailing – but it seems the easiest way to tell a lot of people I care for ….. about a change in my life. I have been diagnosed with lung cancer. Yes, it was quite a surprise. As you all know, this is a challenge. I begin chemo-therapy next week. I will continue to do the broadcast. There will be good days and bad, which means that some days I may be cranky and some days really cranky! Almost 10 million Americans are living with cancer. I am sure I will learn from them how to cope with the facts of life that none of us anticipated. In all the years I have worked here I have had the most outstanding support from this news division. Hundreds of you have been like family. It feels good to have such a family right now.
Peter
Way to go!!! Today is a great day to quit. Don't let it suck you back in
Who would have ever thought Mr. Jennings would help a Freeper to quit smoking.
Well, ya know, Bill Clinton made me a Republican....
PJ. Go to canada and get your treatments for free you traitor!
Huh?
Pete's a citizen now.
What you talkin' 'bout, Willis?
His voice was very rough. My ex-husband's wife, who never smoked, came down with lung cancer about four months ago. She went in for a physical and thought she had a cold. Her voice was rough. Well, she had lung cancer that had already spread to her hips, shoulders, and skull. Unbelievable and terminal. She's been undergoing chemo and radiation and some experimental drug. Six months of this. Four months into the treatment, she wasn't feeling well....fluid buildup around her heart and lungs, one lung had collapsed. Not good. Into ICU immediately, and onto a different experimental drug. Lung cancer is a scourge.
You all are way too nice. I just find very difficult to have pitty for someone who gets lung cancer and is a smoker. With all what we know today, it is just throwing away your life. I don't have pitty for rock climbers who fall, Skydivers who's chutes don't open and smokers who get lung cancer. Sorry to be harsh but I just don't.
I think a good motto here is don't kick a man when he's down. I think all our sympathies are in order here and not to rub it in his face.
Are you all missing the point? Too bad he got cancer that sucks, I have a family friend who died of it and she never smoked a day in her life. In fact she ran everyday and worked out all the time. It can happen anyone, blah, blah, blah.
But don't any of you wonder why he had to announce this during the week of the Pope's death? Wouldn't want someone else to have ALL of attention. Even Prince Charles postponed his wedding, something that has been planned for months. Peter Jennings had to announce this the day he found out, couldn't wait until Monday, after the Pope's funeral. Hmmm just makes you wonder, don't it?
How tragic that this enemy of America is meeting his demise. I'll try to say a prayer for the man, in between the prayers I say for the men who are being killed defending out country, due in part to the efforts of men like Peters. Peters and his ilk all have blood on their hands. May God have mercy on his soul.
"400 thousand lines of code"
Wow, I stand in awe, I've got about 50,000, though I'm not a full time programmer.
All of IT is depressing, I do other hardware and network support as well and it is rarely appreciated.
"Today the problem is finding people who can design a program that does something clients want enough to buy. "
I've gone back to programming, but business programs that I want to use for myself. I had a billionaire who wouldn't pay my nominal fees, even though I showed him how we could automate his $30 million petty cash market accounts AND start a new busiess. So, I'm finishing the software for myself.
No wonder you have a steel trap mind.
The only reason he got his American citizenship was to get better health care than he could have gotten in Canada.
Otherwise, he is still an America hater!
I can't stand the sumbitch.........but I wouldn't wish lung cancer on my worst enemy.
I'll offer up prayers on his behalf.
I don't know what is worse, just knowing you have the disease or taking all of the treatments.
I have a feeling that for Jennings, it has spread much more than he cares to admit. I just can't see how he is going to work thru this.
What about someone who always feels like they have something stuck in their throat or has to clear their throat. And at the same time, complains that they have a hard time swallowing? Are these symptons as well?
So what does the smoking fraternity surmise about his condition? Will they say it came from external environmental factors or will they finally admit openly that smoking in his case contributes to his worsening condition. Second hand smoke is bad as we all know but it appears FIRST HAND SMOKE in his pitiful situation is much the worse. Lung, throat and mouth cancers seem to follow strange paths to finality. Enigmas such a George Burns and others confuse the issue of smoking but personally Tobacco is a bad news environmental factor we can all agree on. For some it is a Death Sentence. Most others are simple pains in the deriere and a general nuisance!
Get well, Mr. Jennings. May you have a speedy recovery!
Did you smoke a last cigarrette and never grab another one again, or did you stop little by little?. Did you start exercising or do something to help you psycologically?.
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