CBC's Petty says health issue to delay Calgary move

Veteran journalist and radio host Kathleen Petty is delaying a move from Ottawa to her hometown of Calgary so she can deal with a health issue, she said Thursday.

Petty, who for five years has been the host of CBC Radio One's Ottawa Morning and the weekly political program, The House, announced in May she was leaving both shows to take a job hosting CBC Radio One's Calgary Eyeopener.

But on Thursday Petty said her future "is less certain than it was just a few short weeks ago."

"I'm facing a health challenge that will require me to take significant time off to face," said Petty. "It's a challenge that I've decided is best met in Ottawa."

"The doctors and medical professionals who've been helping me have been outstanding. Even more than that though, the emotional and physical support of very dear friends and colleagues in Ottawa, means this is the best place possible for me to be over the next while," she said.

Petty's last day as host of Ottawa Morning is Friday.

Before she moved to Ottawa Petty helped launch CBC Newsworld in 1989 and worked 17 years with the national news network.