In 2003, Jobs was diagnosed with a rare but mild cancer, which is called pancreatic

cancer. No public announcement was made, although the board of directors was notified
of his condition. The specific form of cancer was rare but considered treatable, with the
majority of patients who undergo surgery experiencing a survival rate of more than ten
years. Apple informed investors and the wider public about this illness only when they
announced that Jobs had been cured of the cancer after successful surgery in 2004. On
July 31, 2004, Jobs entered Stanford Hospital for treatment. The following day, Jobs sent
an email to Apple employees stating that on weekend he underwent a successful surgery
to remove a cancerous tumor from his pancreas. He will be recuperating during the
month of August, and expect to return to work in September. While he was out, he has
asked Tim Cook, who is executive vice president of sales and operations, to be
responsible for Apples day to day operations, so they should not miss a beat. A copy of
the message was distributed to the Associated Press. It was the first public disclosure of
his condition. Given Jobs strategic and visionary role at Apple, it is perhaps not
surprising that when trading resumed the next day, Apple stock fell 2.4 percent.

Question about Jobss health resurfaced and arose again in the summer of 2008 when he
appeared noticeably thin at a public appearance. In a report on a speech Jobs had given,
the New York Times described Jobs as looking unusually thin and haggard. A company
spokeswoman responded to inquiry by stating that Jobs had a common bug. Hes been
on antibiotics and getting better day by day and didnt want to miss that event. To quell
rumors following this story, in addition, various company public relations report claimed
that he suffered from nutritional problems. Thats all there is to it. When analysts asked
for more information during an earnings conference call, Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer
announced that: Steve loves Apple. He serves as the CEO at the pleasure of Apples
board and has no plans to leave Apple. Steves health is a private matter. Later statement
hinted that he had surgery, but there were not any official information about his health
issue.

When Apple announced in late 2008 that Jobs would not deliver the keynote address at
the annual Apple Macworld conference in 2009, rumors again spread about his health. In
early January, Apple released another letter statement from Jobs explaining his recent
weight loss as due to a hormone imbalance and a nutritional problem. According to
the letter, Steve shared that the remedy for this nutritional problem was relatively simple
and straight- forward, and he had already begun treatment. Specially, he added that he
would continue as Apples CEO during his recovery. However, he said, just like I
didnt lose this much weight and body mass in a week or a month, my doctor expect it
will take me until late this spring to regain it. Concurrently, the board of directors issued
a statement that Steve deserves their complete support during his recuperation. He most
certainly has that from Apple and its Board. Jobs went on to say that for the first time in a
decade, he was getting to spend the holiday season with his family, rather than intensely
preparing for a Macworld keynote. Definitely, Apples stock price rose 4 percent after
this announcement.
Within two later weeks Jobs sent an e-mail to Apple employees and explained that my
health- related issues are more complex than I originally thought. in order to take
himself out of the limelight and focus on recovering health. He also announced that he
would take a six-month medical leave of absence, but would remain involved in
strategic decision while I am out. No elaboration was offered. Tim Cook, then chief
operating officer, resumed leadership of the company. In the two-week period
surrounding these announcements, Apple stock fell 17 percent.
Jobs returned to work as scheduled six months later. Two weeks prior to his return,
however, news leaked that Jobs had received a liver transplant at a Tennessee hospital the
previous April. A company spokeswoman declined to comment other than to say, Steve
continues to look forward to returning at the end of June, and theres nothing further to
say. Doctors unaffiliated with the case explained that tumors associated with the
pancreatic cancer that Jobs was originally diagnosed with another organ, commonly the
liver. The hospital where Jobs received the transplant stated that his prognosis was
excellent. In April 2009, Jobs underwent a liver transplant.

In January 2011, Jobs took a third leave of absence. In an email to employees, he

explained that he would continue as CEO and be involved in major strategic decisions
but that Tim Cook would be responsible for day-to-day operations. Jobs would be back
with the company as soon as he could. In the meantime, he and his family would deeply
appreciate respect for our privacy. When asked for additional comment, an Apple
spokeswoman replied that they had said all they were going to say.