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‘Thank you for your prayers’: Read Greg Warmoth’s letter to viewers about his lip cancer diagnosis

ORLANDO, Fla. — Channel 9 anchor Greg Warmoth announced Wednesday that he has been diagnosed with squamous cell lip cancer and will undergo surgery Thursday.

Read his important message to viewers below:

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“Hi, WFTV friends:

For the past 37 years, I have reported on the lives and events in other people’s lives. Tonight, I talk about an event happening in my life.

After consulting with dermatologists, radiologist and oncologists, I will be stepping away from my duties here at WFTV for the near future for surgery and recovery but will be back.

I have been diagnosed with squamous cell lip cancer and have opted for surgery. The depth and width won’t be known until the operation tomorrow morning at AdventHealth and pathology to verify it’s all been removed.

Read: 9 things to know about lip cancer

A good outcome -- like in all medical procedures -- isn’t a guarantee, but I have faith in my surgeon that the cancer will not only be removed but the physical scarring will be something that you at home won’t even notice.

Like all cancers and diseases, early detection and treatment are important, and we are hopeful that we caught it early enough to prevent a worse outcome. The doctors at AdventHealth assure me I will be back and better than ever -- and may even look more like Brad Pitt.

In the next few days and weeks, I hope to be able to give you updates here on Channel 9 with more detail; but until the surgery, I really don’t know what the prognosis will be. But do know this: Had I ignored it, the outcome would be worse. I am fully believing that everything will be fine; and in the Bible, God tells us that He works all things for our good -- even bad things.

Thank you for your prayers, and I promise to make this a situation that can have a positive effect on the importance of not ignoring the warning signs. I did for a while. But never again.

You take care of yourself.”

Send Greg well wishes by emailing him at greg.warmoth@wftv.com or by visiting Channel 9′s Facebook page here.

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Jason Kelly

Jason Kelly, WFTV.com

Jason Kelly joined WFTV Channel 9 in 2014. He serves as the station's Digital Executive Producer.