Alex Trebek's March 2019 announcement of his stage 4 pancreatic cancer diagnosis sparked a surge of interest in the disease. In a phenomenon known as “The Trebek Effect” pancreatic cancer web page views went from about 2,000 views per day to 66,454.
Read More‘I Wish I Had Known Sooner’
Trebek’s decision to go public put a spotlight on the symptoms of a disease that is rarely detected in its early stages when it’s most treatable."I wish I had known sooner that the persistent stomach pain I experienced before my diagnosis was a symptom of pancreatic cancer."
Dr. Anirban Maitra explains why early diagnosis is crucial in pancreatic cancer.
He went on to list other signs of the disease, “mid-back pain, unexplained weight loss, new-onset diabetes, and the yellowing of the skin or eyes."
The World Pancreatic Cancer Coalition told SurvivorNet "[Trebek's] decision to become involved is having a big impact on heightening awareness of the risks and symptoms of this terrible disease."
Trebek Has Saved Lives
But going public has come with a price. “The thought that I don't measure up compared to people's expectations is difficult," he says in his book, "Am I bearing it well? Or am I a coward?" he finds himself wondering. Sometimes, he admits, the pressure to be a "compelling, brave leader" becomes overwhelming.
"I called my doctor and expressed my concern about not being strong enough."
"No, no, no, he said, trying to reassure me. You're a great survivor. You've helped a lot of people. You don't know how many lives you have saved just by being out there, speaking about the disease, what it does to you, and how to maintain a more positive attitude."
Still, Trebek says, "I think a lot of people are going through stuff that's worse than mine. There are a lot of people out there who have cancer … who continue to live their lives and go about their business, and they do it without recognition."
‘Crying Means You’re Tough’
“Increasingly, the longer I've lived with cancer,” Trebek writes in his book, “the more my definition of toughness has changed. I used to think not crying meant you were tough.
“Now,” he says, “I think crying means you’re tough. It means you're .. willing to let your guard down and show people how you truly feel and admit that you're a wuss.”
Cancer brings a sense of vulnerability, says Dr. William Breitbart, the chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Services at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Trebek believes that showing that kind of vulnerability is “one of the toughest things a person can do.”
He’s found support from others in the cancer community, too. “A friend's wife was recently diagnosed with cancer and is experiencing a lot of the same things I've been going through. She's experiencing pain. She's experiencing fatigue. She's experiencing depression. And I say, 'Oh thank God I'm not the only one.'”
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Finally, Trebek has learned to embrace the emotions that are part of every cancer journey. “There's nothing wrong with saying, 'I'm really depressed today and I have no idea why. Why am I crying?” he notes. “There's nothing wrong with a man shedding a tear."
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