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‘Jeopardy!’: Alex Trebek’s Daughter Looks Back on Father’s Pancreatic Diagnosis on 2nd Anniversary of Announcement

Alex Trebek’s daughter Nicky Trebek is marking the anniversary of her father’s cancer diagnosis announcement to raise awareness for the disease.

Furthermore, Nicky Trebek, daughter of Alex and his ex-wife Elaine Trebek Kares, said she would continue her father’s charitable efforts to help eradicate cancer.

“It was 2 years ago today while we were working on the @jeopardy set that my dad bravely stepped out in front of the camera to announce he had been diagnosed with #pancreaticcancer He brought much-needed #awareness to this terrible disease and provided #hope to so many struggling. I’m beyond proud of him for his courage and integrity throughout his illness.

“That’s why I support the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network @pancan in their #mission to improve patient outcomes. You can too by visiting and donating at http://PanCAN.org. #fightcancertogether #peacenlove,” she posted.

Jeopardy! champion Ken Jenning also marked the anniversary to tell people to support a cancer charity.

Doctors Said Alex Trebek Gave Cancer Patients Hope

Donations to cancer awareness groups flowed in after Alex Trebek’s announcement. Julie Fleshman, president, and CEO of PanCAN said there was an immediate and immense rise in donations and attention.

“By every measure, Trebek’s diagnosis and openness have impacted PanCAN and our efforts,” Fleshman said in a press release. “We saw an immediate and sustained increase in the number of people visiting our website for information and resources, more people donating to the cause, more people registering for PurpleStride events, and more.

Trebek also lent his celebrity to cancer causes. He and the American Cancer Society produced a one-minute PSA where Trebek describes his symptoms and explains that he wished he’d been screened earlier.

“I wish I had known sooner that the persistent stomach pain I experienced prior to my diagnosis was a symptom of pancreatic cancer,” he says. “Other common symptoms can include mid-back pain, unexplained weight loss, new-onset diabetes, and the yellowing of the skin or eyes.”

After his public announcement on Jeopardy!, doctors said they saw increases in the number of people asking for cancer screenings. Moreover, Trebek also showed patients that it was possible to fight such an awful disease.

“Patients that I have had with pancreas cancer have really looked to Alex (Trebek) and what he was going through. He’s really been a source of hope for them. Because he continued to work and he remained in the public eye,” said Dr. Alexis Leal of Colorado University Cancer Center. “I think a lot of patients saw that as very hopeful as they were going through their own journey. It’s great that he had a job that he loved and he was able to continue to work and was very public with his journey.”

H/T PEOPLE