The contestants of the "Jeopardy!" Tournament of Champions are organizing a play-along in support of Alex Trebek's fight with pancreatic cancer. They've been wearing purple ribbons on air in honor of Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, and now they want viewers to join in to help them raise money for pancreatic cancer research.
"Jeopardy!" champion Steven Grade posted the plans on Twitter early this month. He encouraged viewers to tune in for the tournament finals on November 14 and 15 and answer questions along with the contestants. For every answer viewers get right, he encouraged them to donate $1 to the Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research.
"Play along, spread the word, and let’s do what we can to help win this fight," Garde wrote.
"Play one night, play both nights, donate an amount that is right for you, or help spread the word to Jeopardy watchers and non-watchers alike – every little bit helps, and every little bit helps to honor Alex, Larry, and all those who are fighting and have fought pancreatic cancer," Grade added.
Trebek announced his cancer diagnosis in March of 2018. The 78-year-old has hosted nearly 8,000 episodes of "Jeopardy!" and currently holds a Guinness World Record for "Most Game Show Episodes Hosted by the Same Presenter."
In August, he announced he was "on the mend" and done with chemotherapy, but in September he announced he would undergo another round after his immunotherapy treatments did not take.
Since his diagnosis, he has been outspoken about pancreatic cancer awareness. In October he released a PSA with the World Pancreatic Cancer Coalition.
"I wish I had known sooner that the persistent stomach pain I experienced prior to my diagnosis was a symptom of pancreatic cancer," he said. "Other common symptoms can include mid-back pain, unexplained weight loss, new onset diabetes and the yellowing of the skin or eyes," he added.