Despite the fact that his stage four pancreatic cancer was in “near remission” a few months ago, which rendered him able to begin work on Jeopardy!’s new season, Alex Trebek revealed in an interview on today’s Good Morning America that he has to undergo another round of chemotherapy due to the cancer relapsing. “I was doing so well. My numbers went down to the equivalent of a normal human being who does not have pancreatic cancer. So we were all very optimistic,” he explained. “But then I lost about 12 pounds in a week, and my numbers went sky high, much higher than they were when I was first diagnosed.” At the urging of his doctors, Trebek realized undergoing chemo again was the best option to address the “excruciating pain” or “fatigue” that he was soon plagued with on a near-daily basis.
The host also revealed that he’s very open with his fellow Jeopardy! staff about his health. “I realize that there is an end in sight for me, just as there is for everyone else. One line that I have used with our staff in recent weeks and months is that when I do pass on, one thing they will not say at my funeral is, ‘Oh, he was taken from us too soon,’” he explained. “Hey guys. I’m 79-years-old. I’ve had one hell of a good life. And I’ve enjoyed it. The thought of passing on doesn’t frighten me, it doesn’t. Other things do, the affect it will have on my loved ones … it makes me sad. But the thought of myself moving on, hey folks, it comes with the territory.” Here’s hoping for an even speedier recovery, despite those poignant words making us weepy.
