Is There Hope for Alex Trebek? Survivors of Pancreatic Cancer Have a Message

Is there hope for “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek, who bravely revealed he's suffering from stage 4 pancreatic cancer?

Survivors of the disease have a message for him: Stay positive. 

Elise Tedeschi, 50, was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer in 2012. The diagnosis was grim but the Atlanta mom said she beat the odds with treatment that targeted a specific gene.  

“I knew no matter what I was going to beat this,” she told Inside Edition. 

"When you get the diagnosis, no matter what you're just completely floored," she continued. "... I would tell people I didn't choose to get cancer, I didn't choose to go through this, but I get to choose my attitude and I choose to be happy and I choose to live my life."

Matt Wilson, a six-year pancreatic cancer survivor, was fortunately was diagnosed in time to treat it.

"I was shocked," Wilson said of the moment he learned the diagnosis. "You hear the c-word ... and so shock, but wanting to fight it."

He added that he underwent surgery to treat the disease. "They removed 80 percent of my pancreas, my spleen and 21 lymph nodes; it was an invasive surgery but they were able to go in and get it all,” he said. “So it was no chemo, no radiation.” 

Trebek said he's ready for battle, declaring Wednesday in a YouTube video that he was going to fight the disease. 

The pancreas sits behind the stomach, and aids digestion and regulates blood sugar.

Trebek has been married to his wife, Jean, for 29 years. He recently told People magazine that he wishes he'd met her earlier, giving him more years to spend with her.  

Learn more about pancreatic cancer here.

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