Dean Baquet, the executive editor of The New York Times, announced to staff Monday that he had a cancerous growth removed from his kidney.
Baquet, who replaced Jill Abramson after she was fired in May, told the news team that he had “minimally invasive, completely successful surgery” and would be out of the office for a week.
Also read: Glenn Greenwald Slams NY Times, New Editor Dean Baquet Over Jill Abramson Firing
He said his prognosis was “excellent” and he would be returning “as soon as possible.”
“During my absence, I will be in touch with the newsroom leadership – perhaps more than they like,” he wrote. “And we will continue to push ahead with various initiatives.”
Also read: Jill Abramson Says Losing Her NY Times Job Hurt, Unsure What’s Next for Her (Video)
Read the full memo below:
Subject: A Note from Dean
To the Staff:
As some of you may have noticed, I’ve been out of the office for the past few days. On Thursday, doctors found a malignant tumor on my kidney that they felt required immediate attention. I had minimally invasive, completely successful surgery on Saturday and my doctors have given me an excellent prognosis. I will be out of the office for about a week while I mend.
I know this comes as we are all trying to move forward in the newsroom. During my absence, I will be in touch with the newsroom leadership – perhaps more than they like – and we will continue to push ahead with various initiatives.
One thing I know will not stall or even slow is our amazing news report. Just in the last few days, we have shown the tremendous power of our reporting as American politics and the Mideast were simultaneously upended and the World Cup matches began in Brazil. Every day’s report makes me more honored to be part of the newsroom and I assure you that I will be back there as soon as possible.
Dean