Pat Conroy, the author best known for his novels "The Prince of Tides" and "The Great Santini," has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, People reported. Conroy made the announcement of his diagnosis via his official Facebook page on Monday and took the time to thank his readers for their support.
"I have recently been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer," the 70-year-old novelist wrote in his Facebook post. "With the help of the wonderful people at M.D. Anderson I intend to fight it hard. I am grateful to all my beloved readers, my friends and my family for their prayers. I owe you a novel and I intend to deliver it."
Publishing company Doubleday released a statement, confirming The New York Times best-selling author's pancreatic cancer diagnosis.
"Pat is currently undergoing treatment at M.D. Anderson, where he is receiving excellent care and support from his doctors," Doubleday wrote in a statement obtained by People. "The Conroy family asks for privacy at this time as Pat fights his challenging illness with the same spirit of courage that has forged his writing career."
Conroy's 1986 book "The Prince of Tides" was adapted into a 1991 film starring Barbara Streisand and Nick Nolte, according to IMDB. His 1976 novel, "The Great Santini," was adapted into a 1979 film directed by Lewis John Carlino and starred Robert Duvall. Conroy was credited as a writer on both films.
See Conroy's full Facebook post below.
Hey out there,I celebrated my 70th birthday in October and realized that I’ve spent my whole writing life trying to...
Posted by Pat Conroy on Monday, February 15, 2016
