Episode #75 - Prostate Cancer by Kansas City Sportscast Legend Al Wallace

On this episode of Survive & Thrive 8791 Podcast, I welcome legendary Kansas City sports broadcaster Al Wallace to the Buck & Honey's remote studios via cell phone. Al overcame obstacles in 1985 when he became the first full-time Black sports broadcaster in the Kansas City market, hired by WDAF-TV/FOX 4. For 33 years, he was a familiar voice in KC sports, covering high school rivalries to major college and professional games. One of his fun facts was covering the Kansas Jayhawks men’s basketball team, including sitting courtside for almost all of their 99 NCAA tournament games from 1991 till his retirement in 2018.

In 2011, Al faced his toughest obstacle yet: prostate cancer. Thanks to early detection and surgery to remove his prostate, his treatment went smoothly and he was back at the sports desk three weeks later. When asked whether he struggled with any anxiety or depression after his diagnosis, “he said not all, I was lucky.” It was the knowledge he gained about his diagnosis that helped him and his family navigate life after the diagnosis, especially his wife and two daughters. He helped them manage the emotional rollercoaster.

After nearly five decades in sports television, Al signed off for the final time in 2018. But his story didn’t end there. Today, he continues to inspire others as an adjunct professor at the University of Kansas and is a tour guide at the most legendary arena in college sports–Allen Fieldhouse, home of the Kansas Jayhawk basketball teams. You won’t want to miss this episode of Survive & Thrive 8791. CAN’T WAIT!!!