Dylan Willows — the popular radio host of the morning show at the Zone — announced his decision to step down in an emotional on-air announcement this morning, telling listeners about his recent cancer diagnosis.
“I sadly have become quite sick with cancer,” said Willows. “The cancer I thought I beat 20 years ago has come back… I am facing limited time and that time can’t be spent here at the radio station anymore, which is a vital blow to me.”
The 44-year-old has Stage 4 uveal melanoma, a rare form of ocular (or eye) cancer. He went public with his most recent terminal cancer diagnosis on December 1, and went on a five-week break, returning a month ago.
“It was so aggressive and so fast,” his longtime co-host Jason Lamb added. “You only found out a few days ago what you were facing.”
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Willows was on the air for over 20 years at the Zone, and before that, spent some time working at The Beat in Vancouver.
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This is the second time he’s battled cancer
Unfortunately, this isn’t his first battle with cancer; at age 25, he received the same diagnosis, which took his left eye. After his battle, he became a vocal advocate in the fight against cancer both on-air and off, sharing his experiences and often participating in fundraising efforts.
Together with Lamb, the duo provided an alternative voice for Victoria by observing and celebrating all of the weird and wonderful parts of Vancouver Island. Willows was always a fixture on stage at music festivals such as Rifflandia, lending his familiar voice to amp up the crowd between sets.
“This has been my whole life for 22 years,” Willows said. “I’m the luckiest man in the world to have landed here at the Zone.”
Willows and Lamb, both fighting back tears, made the emotional goodbye on the air this morning, which you can listen to below:
Fans of Willows are already taking to social media to express their well wishes and thanks to the voice that often woke them every weekday for over 20 years.
“[Your] humour and magic got me through so many of the hardest days,” said one Redditor. “I feel like I’m losing a buddy. A friend.”
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Another user, emslo, wrote, “As someone living with cancer, I’m so grateful that Dylan has chosen to be public with his diagnosis. Too many times people fear being open about having cancer, and we only find out after they’ve passed away. This is how we fight stigma, build compassion, and grow as a society.”
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