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‘One day at a time’: ‘Jeopardy!’ host Alex Trebek speaks one year after cancer diagnosis

Trebek said the past year had both good and bad days
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FILE - In this Friday, April 28, 2006, file photo, Alex Trebek holds the award for outstanding game show host, for his work on “Jeopardy!” backstage at the 33rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles. Canadian “Jeopardy!” host Trebek announced he’s been diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer in a YouTube video on Wednesday, March 6, 2019, that had a positive tone despite the grim prognosis. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon, File)

Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek took to Twitter Wednesday morning to announce he’d hit one year since his pancreatic cancer diagnosis.

The Canadian host of the long-running game show has been a staple on televisions since the 1960s, but began hosting Jeopardy! in 1984.

He told viewers that the past year had been difficult.

“Now, I’d be lying if I said the journey had been an easy one,” Trebek said.

There were good days, he said, but a lot of bad ones, too.

“There were moments of great pain, days when certain bodily functions no longer functioned,” Trebek said.

READ MORE: ‘We love you, Alex!’: Trebek gets choked up by ‘Jeopardy!’ contestant’s answer

READ MORE: Alex Trebek, saying he’s on the mend, back at ‘Jeopardy!’

The game show host spoke about days when he felt depressed and unsure if he should carry on with his chemo treatments, but said the love of his wife, Jean, and the support of fans and other cancer patients.

Trebek said the one-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer was just 18 per cent, but that his oncologist was confident he would hit his two-year in 2021, t00.

“If we take it just one day at a time, with a positive attitude, anything is possible,” Trebek said. “I’ll keep you posted.”


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katya.slepian@bpdigital.ca

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