CLEVELAND, Ohio (WKBN) – Cleveland Browns’ radio play-by-play announcer Jim Donovan announced that he has had a relapse of leukemia.
He made the announcement on WKYC-TV on Wednesday night.
Donovan was diagnosed with leukemia in 2000 and underwent a bone marrow transplant in 2011.
In an on-camera address to his television audience, Donovan revealed that he noticed that “something was amiss with my health.”
He has since been undergoing various chemotherapy treatments, but recently the need for more aggressive treatments has been determined.
The veteran broadcaster, who is also a long-time WKYC news/sports television anchor in Cleveland, says he will continue to work as much as he is able during treatment, and says that it’s a goal of his to be calling Browns games on the radio this fall.
Donovan has been the radio voice of the Browns since the team returned to the NFL in 1999.
Cleveland Browns’ owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam offered their best wishes on behalf of the organization.
Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam wished Donovan well on behalf of the organization.
“Our thoughts and the thoughts of the entire organization are with Jim and his family right now in this difficult time,” the Haslams said in a statement. “There is no better representative of the Cleveland Browns. He is as tough as they come and proved as much in his previous battle. We’re all behind Jim and will do everything we can to support him. We look forward to him winning this fight, being around the team and continuing to call our games during the season.”
