ABC11 reporter will take a leave of absence for cancer treatment
WTVD reporter Michael Perchick delivered some tough news on social media Wednesday. The reporter, who has been with the station almost two years, has been diagnosed with cancer.
Perchick said in a public Facebook post that he will take a leave of absence from ABC11 while he undergoes treatment.
He told The News & Observer on Wednesday afternoon that he starts the treatment on Monday and expects it to last “a period of months.” He is receiving treatment at home in New Jersey.
Perchick declined to disclose what type of cancer he has, but is positive about the outcome.
“My prognosis is great, and I’m fully confident I’m going to beat it,” Perchick said. “That’s not bravado. I’m very very confident in this.”
Perchick wrote on Facebook that he will provide updates on his Facebook page throughout his treatment.
Perchick ended the post with: “I’ll leave you with one simple promise: I will beat it.”
Since posting the news Wednesday morning, Perchick said there has been an outpouring of support from friends, colleagues, competitors and others who are wishing him well.
“It means the world to me.”
Perchick’s Facebook post reads in full:
“LIFE UPDATE: As journalists, we often encounter people in some of their toughest moments. They are gracious and generous with us, sharing their stories even when it is not easy to do so. In that spirit, I feel it is only right that I do the same. Last week, I was diagnosed with cancer.
“While the next several months will be difficult, my prognosis is excellent and I am comforted by all the love and support I have received from family and friends. I will be taking a leave of absence to focus solely on this fight, and will continue to update you here throughout the course of my treatment.
“Until then, I’ll leave you with one simple promise: I will beat it.”
On Twitter, Perchick posted: “I’m 28 years old and was just diagnosed with cancer. And in four months, I’ll be a 28-year-old who beat cancer. Let’s fight!”
Perchick is known by many on social media for fundraising for Second Chance Pet Adoptions in Raleigh after his dog, Joey, died in September 2019. Perchick posted on Twitter that the rescue group notified him that they had been receiving donations from WTVD viewers in Joey’s memory, so Perchick and his fiancée promised to donate $1 to the group for every time his post was liked or retweeted.
Perchick, a graduate of the University of Miami, came to ABC11 in March 2018 after working for two years at KVUE, the ABC affiliate in Austin, Texas. He also worked for WAPT, the ABC affiliate in Jackson, Mississippi.
This story was originally published January 29, 2020 at 10:11 AM.
