Pat Conroy has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

[Are_grits_groceries]

http://bit.ly/1ojBJpA

Sigh.....

[Laurian]

1. My very favorite author.

I was heartbroken to read this.

[LonePirate]

2. For those unaware like me, Conroy is an author ("The Prince of Tides," "The Great Santini")

[shenmue]

3. Noooooo! Best author in America. "The Lords of Discipline" is sheer genius.

[kairos12]

4. Love his writing. So sorry to hear this.

[mikehiggins]

5. Pancreatic cancer. Doctors used to tell those patients not to start any long books.

Things have gotten better over the decades but it is still one of the most lethal cancers a person can encounter.

There was a kid (an actual teen) a couple of years back who came up with a way to identify this cancer that was much faster and infinitely cheaper. He got one of those awards and he was still young enough to actually jump for joy in front of the whole place. Progress is possible. Treatments are better.

This is one of the things that could be solved tomorrow. Lets hope Conroy lives to see it.

[Hortensis]

6. Yes. VP Biden has already started his "moon shot"

initiative to find the real cure for cancer new advances make possible. Yet another reason to vote Democratic. What a man can do as a private citizen is nothing to what can be accomplished with government resources put to work.

[livetohike]

7. My favorite author. Saw this on Facebook today. His "The Water is Wide"

was an inspiration to me as a young teacher in S. Carolina. My best friend roomed with his sister at college in the 60's.

I lost my Dad and Grandfather to this disease. I hope his medical team can help him.