ST. LOUIS – There’s been an outpouring of messages of hope and support for former St. Louis Cardinals player and radio personality Chris Duncan.
His co-workers announced he’s leaving his radio show on 101 ESPN to focus on his cancer fight. St. Louis wants him to know he’s not alone.
There have been a lot of signs on social media and the radio.
In parts of five seasons with the Cardinals, 2006 was Duncan’s best with the club. He hit 22 homers and Cardinals went on to win the World Series. He later became a sports radio co-host with 101 ESPN.
Within a year of his mother, Jeanine, being diagnosed with brain cancer in 2011, Chris was too.
She lost her fight in 2013.
Duncan fought cancer like he fought for a chance in the big leagues. He beat it the first go around, returning to his radio post, only to have cancer return.
In April, he took a leave of absence from his radio job. Now his co-workers have announced he’s leaving the job permanently to focus on his second brain cancer battle.
“The update basically is that he’s still fighting. He’s still fighting brain cancer. He’s still fighting this tumor,” co-host Anthony Stalter said, struggling with his emotions on the show he co-hosted with Duncan, “The Turn.”
The Cardinals tweeted a call for fans to keep Chris in their thoughts.
Duncan’s former manager and Hall of Famer Tony LaRussa tweeted that Duncan saved the 2006 season and that “his on field courage is with him off the field as well.”
Dr. Therese Cash, a psychologist who works with cancer patients and their loved ones at the Siteman Cancer Center in St. Louis, said outpourings of support often meant more than people realize.
“Those types of experiences for the average patient are really meaningful. I think that rally of support, by and large, really does a lot of good … that presence is often what’s helpful,” she said.
She reminded people to not only remember patients but also their loved ones, especially their caregivers. Simply listening could turn out to be the most critical form of support.
“He beat it (the first time),” Duncan’s co-worker, Randy Karraker, told the radio audience. “Now we’re almost seven years beyond where he’s been. He’s beaten it once. There’s no doubt in my mind he can beat it again.”
“I know we have so many listeners that are praying for “Dunc” and thinking about him and keeping him up and keep him going … we’re doing the same. We love him,” said Brad Thompson, one of Duncan’s former Cardinals teammates and now co-worker at 101 ESPN.
