Alex Trebek marks World Pancreatic Cancer Day in video recorded before his death: ‘This is a terrible, terrible disease’
Alex Trebek continued to shine a spotlight on pancreatic cancer until his death.
The Jeopardy! host, who died from the disease on Nov. 8, taped a special message for World Pancreatic Cancer Day, which aired during Thursday’s show.
This clip aired today on Jeopardy! today and we are sharing it as widely as possible in his memory to help everyone understand the risks and symptoms of pancreatic cancer. Early detection saves lives. #WPCD #ItsAboutTime #PancreaticCancer #Jeopardy #EarlyDetection pic.twitter.com/IDoYYn21Wy
— W P C C (@worldpcc) November 20, 2020
Wearing a purple tie, shirt and pin for the occasion, Trebek said, “A word about today — today is World Pancreatic Cancer Day. If you or anyone you know has developed some of the symptoms that I have talked about in the past, then by all means, get to a doctor, get yourself tested.
He ended by saying, “I want you to be safe. This is a terrible, terrible disease."
After it aired, his wife, Jean Trebek, shared a photo of them together, in purple for pancreatic cancer awareness, and wrote, “Alex, you are my forever hero.”
The show shared the same photo of the couple with a quote from Jean that said, “It’s about time we stop taking for granted the preciousness of each day and start living in the full experience of kindness and coherency.”
Jeopardy! also called on viewers to “wear purple in honor of Alex,” and linked to World Pancreatic Cancer Coalition, an organization Trebek had worked with since his March 2019 diagnosis.
Trebek recorded Jeopardy! up until his death, and his final episode airs on Christmas Day.
No replacement has been announced, but there are many names being offered up by the public, from the show’s biggest winner, Ken Jennings, to LeVar Burton, suggested through a petition by fans.
Read more from Yahoo Entertainment:
Sting 'categorically denies' statutory rape allegation from 1979
Lori Loughlin's husband Mossimo Giannulli begins 5-month prison sentence