The My Cancer blog inspired thousands of cancer survivors from around the world and boasted upward of 30,000 comments. Sievers also appeared on ABC newsman Ted Koppel’s “Living with Cancer” television special, which was broadcast by The Discovery Channel in May 2007, as well as a special broadcast of NPR’s Talk of the Nation program that addressed the same “Living with Cancer” topic, which aired July 9, 2008, also hosted by Koppel and featuring cancer survivor Elizabeth Edwards.

“Leroy gave voice to a topic that we are very uncomfortable with — death and dying,” Ellen McDonnell, NPR’s morning programming director, said in a statement. “My Cancer had a face and a heart and a smile.”

Sievers is survived by his wife, Laurie Singer.

A memorial fund has been set up to honor Sievers memory and work. Donations can be made to the following address:

Leroy Sievers Memorial Fund
Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center
Patient and Family Services
100 N. Charles Street
Suite 234
Baltimore, Maryland 21201

SOURCE: myMeso › My Cancer blogger has passed away

Elizabeth Edwards is a breast cancer survivor who currently is battling a recurrence of her cancer, as a small tumor in her bone.

Sievers worked with Koppel for 14 years on the news program Nightline before joining NPR, and their conversations about Sievers’ experience were the core of Koppel’s three-hour primetime Discovery Channel special Living with Cancer that aired in 2007.

Talk of the Nation airs midday. For local stations and broadcast times in your area, visit www.NPR.org/stations.

Listeners can participate in this program by calling 1-800-989-8255 or emailing talk@npr.org. The program also is available as streaming audio and as a daily podcast at www.NPR.org and on the “NPR Now” and “NPR Talk” 24/7 public radio channels on Sirius satellite radio.

SOURCE: myMeso › Cancer blogger, Edwards on NPR tomorrow