Fighting cancer, Dave Fogel takes ‘little setback’ in stride

Dave Fogel

Chicago radio veteran Dave Fogel said he doesn’t expect his latest cancer treatment to interfere with his job as morning personality at WJMK FM 104.3.

Fogel, 56, underwent surgery for prostate cancer last February, missing only one day on the air at the CBS Radio classic hits station known as K-Hits. For the first few weeks he broadcast from the living room of his condo on the North Side.

Although he’d hoped to be cancer-free, recent tests were troublesome, requiring Fogel to undergo a new round of radiation treatment starting early next month.

“I know that I’ll be fine. It’s just a little setback, that’s all,” he said Friday. “You gotta laugh about this stuff. You can’t let it bring you down.”

Fogel has become an advocate for awareness about prostate cancer, urging men to get tested for early detection of the disease.

On September 10 he’ll participate in the 13th annual Chicago Prostate Cancer Walk and Run in Lincoln Park, sponsored by the nonprofit Support Education Advocate Blue. The event will include free screenings through a prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood test.

“My listeners have been great,” he told SEA Blue. “A bunch of guys let me know that they were getting PSA tested, and even followed up with their results. Everyone asks how I’m doing, I get a little embarrassed, it’s very thoughtful, I don’t want anyone to worry about me.”

A familiar voice on Chicago radio since 1996, Fogel worked at classic rock WLUP FM 97.9, hot adult-contemporary WTMX FM 101.9 and classic hits WLS FM 94.7 before joining K-Hits in 2012. He has hosted mornings there since January 2013.

In the latest Nielsen Audio survey, Fogel’s morning show tied for sixth place among women between 25 and 54 with a 3.8 percent share.