NEW YORK (WJW) – “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek got a little emotional during Monday’s show.
Contestant Dhruv Gaur didn’t know the answer to the “Final Jeopardy” question so he opted for words of encouragement for the longtime host who is battling pancreatic cancer.
“We love you, Alex!” he wrote.
“That’s very kind of you,” Trebek said.
Gaur, along with the other contestants in the “Tournament of Champions”, are wearing purple ribbons to raise awareness for Pancreatic Cancer Awareness month in November.
The competitors plan on donating $1 for every question they answer correctly to the Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research, and encourage those playing along to do the same.
In March, Trebek announced that he had been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer, which has a five-year survival rate of 9 percent. He teamed up with the World Pancreatic Cancer Coalition last month for a public service announcement.
“I wish I had known sooner that the persistent stomach pain I experienced before my diagnosis was a symptom of pancreatic cancer,” he said in the video. “Other common symptoms can include mid back pain, unexplained weight loss, new onset diabetes and the yellowing of the skin or eyes.”
Trebek has been the host of “Jeopardy!” for more than 30 years.
For more information about pancreatic cancer or to make a donation, click here.
