President divulges cancer diagnosis

College President Aaron Podolefsky announced to faculty and staff that he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer and has begun treatment.

Podolefsky will continue to perform his duties as college president and has an excellent prognosis for recovery, he said.

"I am optimistic, I am on the job serving Buffalo State, and I plan to be here for a good long time," Podolefsky said in an email sent out to college faculty and staff on Sept. 22.  "I just may have a different hairstyle for a while."

Podolefsky has begun chemotherapy.

SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher also sent out reassurances to faculty and staff, expressing confidence in Podolefsky and wishing him a swift recovery.

"In my conversation with Dr. Podolefsky over this past weekend, I expressed to him my complete confidence in his ability to meet the demands and responsibilities of his job and reiterated my deep enthusiasm for the leadership, vision and innovative ideas he brings to Buffalo State," Zimpher said.

"I'm inspired by his courage and am confident that his tenure as president will be long and successful," she said.

Podolefsky urged students to talk to their family about prostate cancer awareness.

"Students should encourage male family members over 50 to talk to their doctors about prostate cancer and have PSA (prostate-specific antigen) tests done," he said.

Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer found in American men, with about one in six men eventually getting the disease, according to information from the American Cancer Society. It usually progresses very slowly and is considered highly treatable if found early.

Jacob Tierney can be reached by email at tierney.ecord@live.com.