On March 6, the world was shocked as the beloved game show host in America, Alex Trebek, presented the horrifying news that he has been diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer.  The seemingly immortal Trebek has been hosting the popular game show, Jeopardy, since 1984.  It seems so normal to turn on the tv and see Trebek questioning a group of competitors on the show, but this is a scene that won’t last forever, and this news makes that all too real.  Stage 4 pancreatic cancer has a median life expectancy of 2-6 months, however Trebek doesn’t plan on falling into those statistics.

In a YouTube video revealing the diagnosis, Trebek said he will fight “…to beat the low survival rate statistics for this disease.”  Throughout the video, not only did he maintain the upbeat, confident persona Americans have grown to love, but he kept a humorous attitude as well, adding that he has to beat the disease because under the terms of his contract must host Jeopardy for three more years.  

Lastly, Trebek asked for help from fans of the show to support his journey, and have confidence that he will come out on the other side.  While it would be easy to become sad or even angry at the prospect of his deteriorating health, Trebek realizes that positivity will be the primary treatment to get him through.  He also knows that he can’t do it alone. He ends the video with a last call to viewers, asking, “So help me, keep the faith, and we’ll win.”