Alex Trebek's wife on how faith helps the couple cope with his cancer diagnosis
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Alex Trebek’s wife of 29 years, Jean Currivan Trebek, gave a rare interview about her husband’s cancer diagnosis, treatment and how her practice of Religious Science has helped them cope with the difficult times.
The 54-year-old spoke with SurvivorNet to discuss how her faith has affected the household since the “Jeopardy!” host began treatment for stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Jean has been practicing Religious Science, which combines elements of sound healing, meditation and Reiki, for 10 years.
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Although Trebek is turning to chemotherapy for his cancer treatment, Jean explained that practicing her religion allows her to better “uplift” her husband as he battles the disease.
“It comes from a place of love, because I want to uplift him … and when I keep my own self buoyed and enjoying my life, I can actually share that with him. He can look at me and have a sense of ‘life is beautiful; my wife is doing something good,” she told the outlet.
She did note to the outlet that, in the past, she has played her sound-healing crystal bowls for Alex. The acclaimed TV host previously credited her and an outpouring of fan support with helping him get through treatment.
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Jean, who is a licensed practitioner at the North Hollywood Church of Religious Science, shared some advice to those that may be struggling through difficult times or cancer treatments of their own, noting that they merely need to turn to the universe for support.
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“Just ask the universe, ‘What’s the next step for me?’” she said. “The universe will always respond. I am absolutely sure that we live in a benevolent universe that is always conspiring for our highest and greatest good.”
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The "Jeopardy!" host updated his fans about his ongoing battle with cancer in May, sharing with People that his doctors were shocked at how well his tumors were responding to his chemotherapy treatment.
“It’s kind of mind-boggling,” he said at the time. “The doctors said they hadn’t seen this kind of positive result in their memory… some of the tumors have already shrunk by more than 50 percent.”
He returned to hosting in September noting that he was done with chemotherapy. However, he soon revealed that doctors wanted him to undergo more treatment after his prognosis took a turn.
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"I lost about 12 pounds in a week. And my numbers went sky high, much higher than they were when I was first diagnosed," he told ABC News. "So the doctors have decided that I have to undergo chemo again and that's what I'm doing."