JACKSON, Miss. (AP) _ The Rev. Don Wildmon has resigned as chairman of the American Family Association, a Christian political movement he founded that now boasts millions of followers.

Wildmon says his resignation follows months of health problems, including hospitalizations for treatment of encephalitis, which he got from a mosquito bite, and cancer on his left eye.

The 72-year-old Wildmon says he’ll continue to work at AFA, while his son Tim leads the ministry.

Don Wildmon, a retired Methodist minister, founded the group in

1977 as the National Federation for Decency, promoting family values and waging boycotts to combat pornography and violence in media.

The group changed its name in 1988 to the American Family Association, which now has a $20 million budget, 180 radio stations, a monthly magazine and an Internet presence.