Hall of Famer Lou Brock announces he's cancer-free, vows to keep battling
Hall of Fame weekend brought good news to Lou Brock and his family. The St. Louis Cardinals legend and 1985 Hall of Fame inductee released a statement Friday announcing that he’s cancer-free after being diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer, in April.
“To God be the glory!” Brock wrote in his statement. “Today, I received the greatest news ever. My doctor informed me that I am cancer-free. The battle against cancer is not easy. However, I remained hopeful. I would like to thank my family, friends and fans for all their prayers and support during the battle. With the power of Almighty God, all things are possible!”
Brock, who turned 78 in June, has been battling serious health issues for several years. In 2015, he had part of his left leg amputated due to complications from diabetes. He persevered through that setback, but was dealt another blow with his cancer diagnosis.
Multiple myeloma is a type of blood cancer that usually occurs in the bone marrow. It can cause damage to bone, kidneys and nervous systems. It’s a devastating form of the disease and a draining battle for anyone to endure. That’s especially true for someone of Brock’s age. Coupled with his other health issues, there was obvious concern for Brock’s long-term prognosis, but he’s come through the other side hoping to get back to normal but willing to continue fighting if that’s required.
“I consider this a miracle happening _ that it would reverse itself this quickly, Brock told the St. Louis Post Dispatch on Friday.
“It was an uphill struggle but we won it. The quest … is not to let it come back.”
Brock still lives in St. Louis, but his health complications have kept him away from Busch Stadium for most of the season. He was able to attend a May reunion with teammates from the Cardinals’ 1967 World Championship club, and the hope is he’ll be able to come around more often now.
Today, Hall of Famer Lou Brock was informed by his doctor that he is cancer free. We can't wait to see Lou back at the ballpark. #STLCards pic.twitter.com/kNhsu7s5m5
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) July 28, 2017
Unfortunately, a trip to Cooperstown for this weekend’s ceremony is not in the cards, but it will be a much happier atmosphere knowing that Brock is bouncing back.
More MLB coverage from Yahoo Sports:
– – – – – – –
Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at bigleaguestew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
