Rob Stafford announced this week he will be returning to NBC 5 by the end of the month.
Stafford, who has been on medical leave since March, will anchor the 10 p.m. newscasts beginning Aug. 28 and plans to return to the afternoon newscasts a couple weeks later.
The beloved NBC Chicago anchor has been undergoing treatment for a rare blood disorder.
After his 100-day check-up in June, test results revealed Stafford made progress, but he has been undergoing follow-up chemo at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago since. The treatment is a milder form of chemotherapy than he had in earlier months and will continue following his return to work.
"Thanks to my doctors and nurses at Rush for some great results," Stafford wrote on his Facebook page last week. "See you on the news in 2 weeks!"
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Stafford underwent months of treatment at Mayo Clinic, including a bone marrow transplant and chemotherapy at the facility.
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“I have more support than any person deserves," he said in May. "It is humbling and almost embarrassing a little, but it makes you feel really good, and things are going good.”
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Doctors used Stafford's own stem cells for the transplant before he underwent chemotherapy. He told his co-anchor Allison Rosati he had stomach issues along the way and lost a lot of weight. He has since gained quite a bit of it back.
Stafford said people have reached out to him on Facebook and Twitter, sent gifts and sent their prayers. And of course they're wearing #StaffordStrong bracelets.
Many of his posts have ended with a powerful message -- one with much significance as he continues to grow stronger in his health battle: “Fight on.”
