Craig Sager clarifies statement that doctors gave him 3–6 months to live

TNT sideline reporter Craig Sager released a statement Wednesday to clarify his quotes during an interview that aired on HBO’s Real Sports on Tuesday.

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TNT sideline reporter Craig Sager released a statement Wednesday to clarify his quotes during an interview that aired on HBO’s Real Sports on Tuesday. 

In the statement, Sager, 64, made it clear that the medical prognosis of three to six months to live for a diagnosis of myeloid leukemia was for a someone who is not undergoing treatment.

Sager remains confident that he will beat the disease and does not plan to stop reporting. 

• Athletes share their support for Craig Sager

“I’m grateful to HBO for telling my story and I’d like to thank everyone for their ongoing support. I have acute myeloid leukemia, an aggressive type of cancer. The typical prognosis is 3-6 months to live, but I would like to stress that is for a patient who is not receiving treatment. Fortunately, I am receiving the best treatment in the world and I remain fully confident I will win this battle.

“Again, I would like to thank everyone for your generosity and encouragement. I sincerely appreciate it and it means so much to me and my family. I look forward to continuing my work on the sidelines for Turner Sports."

In the original interview, Sager said that his leukemia was no longer in remission and that he was fighting a grim diagnosis.

“I’m not going to be that 3–6 months. I‘m going to be that five years,” he said to HBO. “I’m going to make medical history. ... I’m fighting this thing to the end. I have too much to do.”

Sager was first diagnosed with leukemia in April 2014 and missed the end of the 2014–15 season when the disease returned in March 2015. Sager has been working on the sidelines for TNT this season after undergoing a bone marrow transplant in July.