Iowa State’s Athletic Director Jamie Pollard shares cancer diagnosis

AMES, Iowa (KCRG) - Iowa State’s Director of Athletics Jamie Pollard on Wednesday wrote a letter to fans saying he was recently diagnosed with testicular cancer.

In the letter, Pollard said he debated sharing the diagnosis publicly because he wanted to avoid it being a distraction, but decided to share it out of transparency.

He said he found a lump on his right testicle after several days of pain. Pollard said he learned about the diagnosis after a surgery to remove the testicle last week.

“This past Monday I had a CT scan and additional blood work,” Pollard wrote in the letter. “My wife, Ellen, and I met with the urologist (who performed my surgery) in the afternoon and learned the cancer had not spread from the original site. Furthermore, my bloodwork (i.e., tumor markers) was still testing normal. Both of those results were welcome news!”

Pollard went on to say he hopes that sharing the details of his cancer diagnosis and treatment plan will emphasize the important role early detection plays in cancer survival rates.

“I feel blessed to know the cancer has not spread and am ready to follow what my medical team feels is the best course of treatment,” Pollard wrote. “As Coach Campbell likes to say, ‘Trust the Process.’ That’s exactly what I’m going to do.”

Read Pollard’s full letter here.