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Kansas City, MO (KCTV) — Television icon Alex Trebek is dead at the age of 80.
The long-time jeopardy host announced his battle with stage four pancreatic cancer over a year ago.
Earlier this year, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died of complications from the disease, and U.S. Representative John Lewis died months after his diagnosis.
It’s a disease with a grim survival rate.
Kansas City native Joe Palladino was enjoying his granddaughter’s fifth birthday party today when he heard the grim news about Alex Trebek.
“My heart goes out to his family. My heart goes out to everybody who is battling pancreatic cancer,” Palladino said.
“Only 93% of people survive my cancer,” he said. “And it’s not my cancer it’s a lot of people’s cancer in the whole country.”
Palladino is in the small percentage of survivors.
“They tell people right off the bat you don’t have much of a chance. I’ve known a lot of people who have passed with it,” he said.
What makes pancreatic cancer so deadly is that there usually are no symptoms in the early stages when the tumor is most treatable.
Palladino’s stage three diagnosis was discovered after he went to the hospital for dark-colored urine and serious indigestion.
After a surgery, and months of chemo and radiation, he’s cancer-free.
“I still think about where I was. But I know where I am today and right now I’m cancer free,” he said.
He credits his faith, healthy diet, and his children and grandchildren for his improved health.
Palladino has got to see his grandson Jacob play in his high school football playoffs, and his granddaughter Pepper turn five.
“I really didn’t think I’d see her born. I’d thought I’d pass and be with the good lord. I didn’t think I had a good chance,” he said.
He hopes his survival and joy for life can inspire others.
“I just think that people need to know to never ever give up. It’s all about fighting and having faith in god and one day at a time,” said.
Only ten percent of people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer survive longer than five years. That’s up from six percent from just six years ago, but still a somber statistic.
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