Veteran radio broadcaster John Walton, the longtime voice of the NHL’s Washington Capitals, says he has beaten back colon cancer following a diagnosis he announced this summer via social media, reports Inside Radio.

WTOP reports that Walton endured a 10-hour surgery that resulted in the removal of eight to ten inches of his colon.

“I’m happy to say that, after the operation, that I am cancer-free,” Walton said. “I don’t need any chemotherapy, which is something I was pretty sure that I was going to need.”

Walton is now stressing the importance of regular check-ups.

“If you’re a man or woman over the age of 45, you need to do the same thing,” Walton said. “I’m 51, and I probably waited a little too long, and thankfully, I was able to catch things in time.”

Cancer, states Inside Radio, “isn’t the only medical challenge Walton has faced as of late. Shortly after his surgery, he had the first of four procedures on his left leg and calf area to treat “compartment syndrome,” in which pressure around the muscles limits blood flow and deprives the nerves of oxygen and nutrients, according to information from the Cleveland Clinic cited by the WTOP report. If untreated, permanent damage — or even death — can result.”

More here.