"Jeopardy!" host Alex Trebek has refused to let stage 4 pancreatic cancer defeat him since being diagnosed with it earlier this year. He has been vocal about his determination to fight it.
To the public he epitomizes strength and courage, but behind the scenes there have been some very low moments for Trebek, who recently opened up and admitted he's struggling with bouts of depression.
He and his wife Jean spoke about the cancer diagnosis and how they are coping with it in an interview this week with "Good Morning America" host Michael Strahan.
"My oncologist told me one of the symptoms, if you will, of pancreatic cancer is that you get these moments of depression, sadness," Trebek said, adding that his wife was just as badly affected as he was.
"It's always tough for caretakers because she has to deal with her worrying about my well-being and also dealing with … I'm not always the most pleasant person to be around when I'm experiencing severe pain or depression, and she has to tread lightly around me."
Not knowing how much longer Trebek has to live is further straining the couple, but they are taking each day as it comes. Meanwhile, Trebek is inspiring others facing similar struggles.
"I have learned something in the past year and it's this: We don't know when we're going to die," he said.
Trebek added that the "terrible" survival rates for pancreatic cancer meant it was a "close-ended life" he was living.
"Because of that, and something else that is operating here, people all over America and abroad have decided they want to let me know now, while I'm alive, about the impact that I've been having on their existence," he said. "They have come out and they have told me, and my gosh, it makes me feel so good."
Since his diagnosis, Trebek has done everything in his power to keep life as close to normal as possible. He continues to work on the show he has hosted for 36 years and teamed up with the World Pancreatic Cancer Coalition to help spread awareness for World Pancreatic Cancer Day in November.
He recently admitted that the chemotherapy he was undergoing was taking its toll but he remained upbeat about treatment.
"Some days are better than others," he previously told USA Today. "I still have the effects of the chemotherapy; I've now had, I think, nine or 10 sessions. So it's wearing on me, but I don't have any choice. I just have to stick with it, and hopefully they're going to find a new drug that will enable me to grow my hair back. That will be something I will be very happy about."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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