Community Corner

Popular Former New Haven Radio Personality Fighting Cancer

One of New Haven area's best known radio newscasters fighting cancer; Cheshire resident tells story and says he intends to win - for family.

If you're of a certain age than the name Steve Kalb is well known to you. There was a time when there was one radio station in Greater New Haven that everybody tuned into for news - 960 AM. And the person who most often read or commented on the news of the day was Steve Kalb.

Well, Steve has a different story to tell today. You see he has cancer.

Steve, in his own words tells his story, below. He tells it better than any reporter could.

Find out what's happening in New Havenwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"So you might remember me from “back in the day.” Award winning reporter turned talk show host at WELI radio back when WELI was…well…err….WELI. I moved on to radio in Pittsburgh and then TV as a news director in Boston and Philadelphia (to name but two) before returning to Connecticut.

“I covered some interesting court cases for the Connecticut Radio Network like the Michael Skakel and Waterbury Mayor Phil Giordano trials and served as a media witness to the Michael Ross execution. I wrote a bi-weekly column for the New Haven Independent.

Find out what's happening in New Havenwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"Fifteen years ago UConn needed an adjunct professor in their journalism department to teach broadcasting. One thing led to another, the students didn't at least hate me and I've been there ever since and full time faculty for the last two years.

"Amazingly the Student Government Association voted me "Professor of the Year" in 2009, The University "Adjunct Professor of the Year" two years later. Who knew?

"My first love will always be journalism but I now have a parallel love: teaching. It's that moment when our student, "gets it."

"There is nothing better."

"But now I have a new battle."

"I have cancer.”

“Three words, eleven letters and two spaces and it packs more “punch” than just about anything else I have ever written.

“I have “SLL” or Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma. Everything you wanted to wanted to know about the disease itself is here: http://www.lymphoma.org.site/p...

“It’s chronic so I will never (at least as of today) get rid of the disease. Lifespans vary widely but it is not uncommon to live 15-20 more years. Looking back, I was symptomatic since early 2017 and possibly through most of 2016. I was first officially diagnosed in early October 2017, but the diagnosis was not confirmed until December 22. Doctors tell me this is usually a disease found by accident. That is hardly reassuring. I had no intention of telling anyone around the holidays.

“I’ll get my treatments at Memorial Sloane Kettering Cancer Care Center in New York. It is the “gold standard” for cancer care and my doctor is one of the best. If you ever want to talk about the need for everyone to have reasonable, available medical care, go ask a cancer patient. Bills in the thousands are routine. Thank God for health insurance.

“The plan is to begin my chemo in early February. It is a two-day event and then I come back a month later for another 2 days. This goes on for a total of six months. Allegedly I get to keep my hair but there are a host of drugs that go with the chemo to counteract side effects.

“Oh, so much more joy.

“The chair of journalism department is going to lighten my load a little but I will be teaching classes throughout it all.

“Sure, I’m scared. Who wouldn’t be? But I have great friends and family. I’ve already made it quite clear to the doctors at MSK there job is to make sure I live long enough to attend my son’s Senate confirmation hearings for appointment to the Supreme Court. I think that is more than reasonable.

“Oh yeah, he’s 7. I’m not going anywhere for a while.”


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here