Mourning “Jeopardy” Host Alex Trebek After His Death From Pancreatic Cancer– Millions of Cancer Patients Were Inspired By His Courage

While other national figures, and indeed major television stars, have told the public about their battle with cancer, very few people have allowed us to take part in their struggle around depression, fatigue, and indeed hair loss.  Trebek talked about his cancer in interviews and a book last summer. There was tremendous courage in his simple statement of facts and emotions. Millions of people dealing with cancer, and the caregivers who provide so much support, took comfort from knowing that, yes, someone so famous was just like the rest of us.

By sharing their battle, Alex and his beloved wife Jean have forever changed the conversation around what it's like to get sick. Specifically for pancreatic cancer, the so-called Alex Trebek effect is very real. One of the nation’s leading advocacy groups for pancreatic cancer, PANCAN, tells SurvivorNet that since Trebek was diagnosed there's been a significant uptick in people coming to their website to learn about the symptoms of pancreatic cancer, and to research some of the new cutting edge treatments which are providing hope for longer survival.

The Decision To Pursue a Clinical Trial

After limited results with the standard of care therapy, Alex Trebek and his family told the world that they had decided on an experimental treatment created by the noted cancer researcher Dr. Patrick Soon Shiong.

We do not yet know how many months this therapy may have prolonged Trebek's life, but the sort of effort it represents, and the scientific resources being put behind new therapies like it, are extremely encouraging.

Comfort Through Faith & Spirituality

For the Trebek family this is, of course, a hugely sad time.

As her husband battled cancer, SurvivorNet had the good fortune to interview Jean Trebek and she talked about the important role that faith and spirituality have had on her ability to deal with such enormously challenging times. On her website, Insidewink, Jean Trebek has also written over the last year about Alex's illness and said that she and her family took great pleasure, and great comfort, from the simple rituals of food and being together.

"The human voice has so much power and healing," Jean, who rarely speaks to the media, told SurvivorNet. She discussed, among other topics, her practice of sound healing, explaining that she uses a combination of crystal bowls and her voice to help people heal.

"Just ask the universe, 'What's the next step for me?'" she said. "The universe will always respond. I am absolutely sure that we live in a benevolent universe that is always conspiring for our highest and greatest good."

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