The ABC has lost one of it’s most respected journalists, Mark Colvin.
He died aged 65 after struggling for more than 20 years with a rare disease affecting the bloodstream that he contracted while covering the Rwandan genocide.
His award-winning career with the ABC spanned more than four decades, and for the last 20 years he was a familiar voice as the presenter of ABC radio’s current affairs program PM.
His family issued a statement shared by the ABC.
“Today we lost our beloved Mark.”
“The family would like to thank the doctors and nurses at the Prince of Wales hospital, as well as the community, the ABC, his friends and colleagues, who have stood by him and supported his career and life.”
Vale Mark Colvin. After a long battle with ill health, respected ABC journalist @Colvinius has died aged 65: https://t.co/JRUcvIviQy pic.twitter.com/B4uyHQrnQ6
— ABC News (@abcnews) May 11, 2017
The ABC’s Managing Director Michelle Guthrie has paid tribute to the award winning journalist: “For many Australians, Mark’s steady and measured voice as host of PM brought them the essential news of the day and kept them informed about events of national and international importance.
“We will miss him enormously, and extend our thoughts to his family and friends.”
It was in December 2012, Colvin received a kidney transplant from a living donor Mary-Ellen Field, he and the hospital and staff, allowed the process to be recorded for television.
Colvin survived the kidney transplant only to be diagnosed with skin cancer and then in 2017 was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer.
It was his wish that his last illness remain private and he spent his last weeks in Prince of Wales Hospital with his sons Will and Nicholas.
The family have asked mourners to donate to the Prince of Wales Hospital trust in lieu of flowers.