Anchorman Scott Inspires at ESPYs

Longtime “SportsCenter” co-anchor Stuart Scott was honored with the Jimmy V Perseverance Award at ESPN’s annual ESPY Awards on July 16. Scott received a diagnosis of appendiceal cancer in 2007 and is experiencing a recurrence of the disease. “When you die, it does not mean that you lose to cancer,” he said in accepting the award. “You beat cancer by how you live, why you live and in the manner in which you live.” The award is named for former North Carolina State University basketball coach Jim Valvano, who died of cancer in April 1993.

Joan Lunden, who co-hosted ABC’s “Good Morning America” (GMA) from 1980 to 1997, returned to the program on June 24 to announce she has breast cancer and has started treatment, which includes chemotherapy. Lunden revealed the news to current GMA co-host Robin Roberts, who announced her own breast cancer diagnosis nearly seven years ago.

“X-Men” star Hugh Jackman posted a selfie on Instagram in May showing a bandage on his nose and stating that he had had a second basal cell carcinoma removed. Jackman first revealed his skin cancer the same way in November 2013. This won’t be his last skin cancerous growth, predicts the actor from Australia, who said he couldn’t remember ever being told to apply sunscreen.

On July 1, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon announced in a memo that he had received a diagnosis of throat cancer, which he said was curable. He said he would undergo eight weeks of radiation and chemotherapy. July 1 also marked Dimon’s 10th year as the company’s CEO.

Emmy Award—nominated actor Meshach Taylor, 67, died on June 28 from colorectal cancer. Taylor was perhaps best known for the role of Anthony Bouvier, an ex-con turned deliveryman, which he played from 1986 to 1993 on the television series “Designing Women.”

On June 16, Baseball Hall of Famer and former San Diego Padre Tony Gwynn, 54, died of complications from salivary gland cancer. Gwynn said publicly that he believed he developed the cancer from chewing tobacco. During his career, Gwynn had 3,141 hits and was a 15-time All-Star.