It wasn’t so long ago that Charles Sailor was writing scripts for the biggest TV hits of 70s and 80s network TV. An actor turned screenwriter, Charles wrote episodes of “Kojac,” “The Rockford Files,” “CHiPs” and “Switch,” before hitting it big with “Charlie’s Angels.” The iconic show, originally starring Jacyln Smith, Kate Jackson and Farrah Fawcett, ran for five seasons from 1976 to 1981. He is also the author of The New York Times best-selling novel, “The Second Son.”

Charles was first introduced to the Aspen Valley at the age of 14 in 1961 when his father bought the Inn at Aspen. “When Main Street was gravel and mud,” he recalls. After decades in California, Charles returned to Aspen in 1997.

Although he had no symptoms, Charles was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma and rectal cancer in February 2023. After the resection of the tumor, which had not metastasized, doctors wanted to be sure Charles was cancer free and suggested both chemo and radiation to, as Charles, describes it, “get any stray cells.”

Charles brought Valley View’s recommendation to the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa Bay, Florida. They found no evidence of cancer in Charles but concurred with the original treatment plan, and validated Charles’ decision to have treatment at Valley View’s Calaway-Young Cancer Center, where he could be close to home.

“To date they’ve not been able to find any cancer,” says Charles. “Adenocarcinoma is a deadly cancer. If it hadn’t been detected and taken care of it may have breached the wall of the rectum. This is a cancer that can show up anywhere in your system.”

Charles finished his cancer treatments at the Calaway-Young Cancer Center in June 2023. In September of that year, he and his partner Maureen went to Europe for 43 days. “I walked thousands of steps a day,” he says. “Even though I was recovering, I was well enough to do that.”