After being diagnosed with Stage 4 metastatic brain cancer, stemming from lung cancer that he was also unaware of, radio announcer for Purdue men’s basketball, Larry Clisby is set to miraculously return for his 41st season beginning Thursday, November 1st.
At the time, returning to the radio booth seemed like an impossibility and Clisby was unsure of how much longer he would have to live, but following 10 rounds of radiation and four doses of chemotherapy, the treatment appears to have been successful. Clisby twice beat cancer earlier in life, now referring to those fights with melanoma and bladder cancer as “simple.”
“Of course, anybody who’s been through this and knows anything about it knows cancer isn’t cured very often, especially when you’ve reached fourth stage like I have,” Clisby said in a story written by Nathan Baird of the Lafayette Journal & Courrier. “Your hope is and your doctors’ hopes are to put the thing in remission and get a few years to add on to your life.
“Or you can have a miracle. There’s no question those things happen.”
A few weeks ago, Clisby underwent a PET scan, which allows oncologists to detect cancerous cells and tissues. The scan results showed very little cancer remaining and Clisby was told he no longer needed to continue chemotherapy. Since ending the treatment, the popular radio voice still takes up to 14 pills a day, but has started to regain strength and energy.
Clisby recently made his return to Indiana, attending Purdue basketball practice much to the joy of the entire team. “They know how important he is to us and the program,” said Elliot Bloom, the team’s director of operations. “His role is bigger than just our radio guy.”
“Thank God for the Purdue fan base, because they’re the ones that got me through this,” Clisby said.
Before his diagnosis, Clisby discussed a long-term extension with Learfield Communications to remain the radio voice of Purdue men’s basketball. The extension went unsigned and for now, Clisby is going to take it one season at a time and even one game at a time with a focus on Thursday.
Fans can hear Clisby call Purdue men’s basketball, who will open their season with an exhibition Thursday night against Marian, on their flagship WYCM 95.7.
Brandon Contes is a freelance writer for BSM. He can be found on Twitter @BrandonContes. To reach him by email click here.