Philly Leader

Jason Myrtetus, known for his role as the pregame, intermission, and postgame host of Philadelphia Flyers radio broadcasts since 2008, is facing a significant health challenge. At 45, he began experiencing vision issues and other symptoms which he initially attributed to aging. "All the signals were there, in hindsight," Myrtetus admitted. However, it wasn't until his symptoms worsened that he sought medical attention.

After an emergency room visit and expedited tests, doctors diagnosed him with stage 3 colon cancer on December 20th. "Yeah," he said. "It buckles your knees."

Myrtetus did not initially aim for a career in sports broadcasting but found his path through serendipitous encounters and a switch in academic focus at Penn State. He transitioned from rock radio to sports broadcasting while maintaining a lifelong connection to hockey.

Facing cancer has prompted Myrtetus to draw on lessons learned from his athletic background. "It's just been my entire identity," he noted, applying the perseverance developed in hockey to his current battle.

His treatment plan includes eight chemotherapy sessions over 16 weeks followed by radiation therapy and surgery. This aggressive approach aims to prevent cancer recurrence due to his age and health status.

Support has come from family members like his wife Angela—"She's singlehandedly going to save my life," he said—and the broader hockey community including Flyers coach John Tortorella and analyst Eddie Olczyk. Olczyk offered guidance based on personal experience with colon cancer: "If this old broken-down hockey player... can do it, you can too."

Myrtetus chose transparency regarding his diagnosis, believing openness could help others facing similar challenges. "I've always been very transparent with the audience," he stated.

As part of raising awareness about colon cancer symptoms and screening importance, Myrtetus encourages early testing: "Go get checked... Go get the colonoscopy." His ongoing treatment has shown positive signs of reducing tumor size.

Contributions supporting Myrtetus are welcomed through specified channels.

NHL.com deputy managing editor Adam Kimelman contributed to this report.