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Jovita Moore, a news anchor for Atlanta’s Channel 2 Action News, has been diagnosed with an incurable form of brain cancer. The diagnosis comes after the WSB-TV veteran underwent surgery to remove two tumors from her brain back in April.
Channel 2 Action News reports the type of cancer Moore has is known as glioblastoma. According to the outlet, it’s a particularly “aggressive” form of brain cancer that is the most common to be diagnosed with.
Moore’s surgeon, Dr. Edjah Nduom of Emory University Hospital, explained to the outlet that the cancer isn’t hereditary and has nothing to do with a person’s diet and/or lifestyle — unlike smoking, which can lead to lung cancer for example.
“A glioma is a type of tumor that comes from the support cells of the brain. It doesn’t come from anywhere else in the body. It starts there and they’re very aggressive,” Nduom told the local news source. “That’s one of the reasons I’m so desperate to continue to work on better treatments for these patients. They didn’t earn this. They didn’t bring it upon themselves they’re just in a tough situation and we’re trying to find the best way to make them better.”
Unfortunately, there are currently no cures for glioblastoma. Nduom noted that surgery alone — like the one Moore received in April — isn’t enough to rid the news veteran of the cancer. Still, treatments can help slow down the cancer’s growth, and notably, Channel 2 Action News said that studying and treating glioblastoma is Nduom’s “life’s work.”
“Jovita is in the best possible hands to fight this,” the outlet went on to report.
WSB-TV Community and Public Affairs Director Condace Pressley spoke on the news of Moore’s condition and shared, “Our girl is strong. Our girl is a fighter and she’s doing great every day.”
Being a friend of Moore’s for over 20 years, Condace added, “We laugh and you know sometimes we talk about stuff and we may cry a little bit. But at the end of the day, she is a fighter, and she is surrounded by love and prayers and positivity.”
Moore’s current treatments include radiation and chemotherapy at Emory University Hospital in order the slow down the growth of her cancer. The 53-year old mother of three was described as a model patient by Nduom.
Back in April, after Moore had undergone her surgery for the two tumors doctors now know were a part of her cancer, Channel 2 Action News spoke on behalf of the Emmy-winning news anchor and stated that she was “overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support” she received from the Atlanta community.
“I know that the prayer warriors are gonna be at work,” Moore told the outlet at that time. “I just felt like it was something I needed to share. I didn’t want to just disappear from air for a couple of months and I wanted people to know what was going on. Also, I want to feel that energy, that outpouring and that support as well. I know they’re gonna bring it.”
According to PEOPLE, Moore has been with the news station since 1998.
Channel 2 Action News created a webpage specifically for the veteran news anchor where viewers have commented on the news of her diagnosis by saying, “The people of Atlanta love you Jovita and are praying with you for total healing,” and “We really do love you,” amidst many other well wishes. To send your own supportive message to Moore, find the page here.
