President Bennet diagnosed with cancer

In an e-mail message to the community on Monday, President Bennet announced that he is in the early stages of prostate cancer.

Bennet said the doctors promise a full recovery, and plans to undergo treatment three days a week in April and May at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.

“The treatment regime should not affect my work,” he wrote. “In April and May, when I am away during most of the week, I will be in regular contact with the campus via telephone and email. My staff will work together to ensure that the University’s decision-making processes run routinely and that I am briefed as appropriate on matters that require my attention.”

The announcement was reported in the Hartford Courant on Tuesday, and Bennet said he was surprised to see his “low-grade, garden-variety” cancer make headlines.

“I’ve seen enough of [cancer] so it doesn’t scare or worry me,” Bennet said.

Bennet was diagnosed in late November of last year, and waited to make definitive plans before making a public announcement. Prostate cancer is the second-most common cancer in men after skin cancer, affecting approximately one in ten men at some point in their lives.

Bennet pointed to Governor Jodi Rell as an example of strong leadership despite illness. Rell underwent surgery for breast cancer in early January, only a few weeks before delivering the State of the State address.

Though Bennet will be away from campus Tuesday-Thursday each week in April and May, he pointed out that his schedule has often included traveling in order to publicize the University and raise money.

“In the last five years I’ve been gone about as much,” he said. “I expect to saturate Boston. Every parent and alum will get a call.”

As with other times that Bennet is away, he will continue to run his office.

“We’re going to try to have people continue to do what they do,” he said. “When I’m away, I’m in charge.”

Bennet reported receiving a number of messages from community members, and said he has responded to many of them.

“The answer is ‘thank you and don’t worry,’” he said.