BY PHILL BARNETT
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

INEZ, Ky. — Martin County Sheriff John Herman Kirk has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, as announced in a statement Sunday on Facebook.

Kirk, who has been in considerable pain for some time, said he has been seeing a gastroenterologist and undergoing various tests in recent weeks.

Although he had hoped he was on the road to recovery, Kirk decided to have a PET scan to confirm that everything was indeed OK. Unfortunately, he reported the results revealed that he has pancreatic cancer, according to his oncologist.

Kirk, who has been the sheriff of Martin County since 2014, will soon undergo surgery to combat his cancer. In the meantime, he has asked for the community’s support and prayers during this difficult time.
“I’d like to ask for your prayers. I know I’ve asked for prayers before, but I really need them now,” Kirk stated.

The announcement of Kirk’s diagnosis has been met with an outpouring of support and well-wishes from the community online. Many have expressed their appreciation for Kirk’s service and dedication to Martin County and have pledged to stand by him during his fight against cancer.

Kirk has been a prominent figure in Martin County and a strong advocate for drug-abuse prevention, using his time in office to pursue users and traffickers in the county.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Sheriff Kirk and his family during this challenging time. We stand with him and all those affected in the fight against cancer, and we wish him a full and speedy recovery.