How JEOPARDY! Contestants Choose to Honor Alex Trebek’s Cancer Battle

How JEOPARDY! Contestants Choose to Honor Alex Trebek’s Cancer Battle

By Jessilyn Lancaster, Managing Editor

JEOPARDY! contestants in the Tournament of Champions have donned purple ribbons during the 10-day competition to honor host Alex Trebek and others who have battled pancreatic cancer.

The tribute also included eulogizing the Teachers Tournament champion, Larry Martin, who died earlier this year from the disease.

We opened today’s show with a special message about last year’s Teachers Tournament champion, Larry Martin. The donation will be going to the Fred Rogers Center. 💜 #TournamentOfChampions pic.twitter.com/uBauQzVP6E

— Jeopardy! (@Jeopardy) November 5, 2019

However, the tributes didn’t stop at purple ribbons and kind eulogies. Avi Gupta, who won the JEOPARDY! Teen Tournament this summer donated more than $10,000 to the Knight Cancer Institute in Oregon for pancreatic cancer research.

This #PancreaticCancerAwarenessMonth, join us in the fight to #EndCancer. Working with Alex on @Jeopardy was an honor, and I hope the #Jeopardy community will join me in honoring him. #InspiredBy https://t.co/ZOloI3vzwO

— Avi Gupta (@avigupta33) November 2, 2019

The Tournament of Champions contestants asked the audience to participate in funding cancer research as well.

The #Jeopardy Tournament of Champions competitors are organizing a charitable play along to help fight pancreatic cancer. See below for details, play along, spread the word, and let’s do what we can to help win this fight. pic.twitter.com/tP9CG49paP

— Steven Grade (@ask_Steven) November 5, 2019

Trebek continues to host the trivia game show, though he was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer in March.

Trebek asked for prayers when he was diagnosed, and recently told an autistic man that “God’s grace” was helping the host fight the disease.

Trebek, who is in chemotherapy, says he does not fear death.

He said, “I’m not afraid of dying. One thing they’re not gonna say at my funeral as a part of a eulogy is ‘[he was] taken from us too soon.’ I’m 79 years old, so I’ve lived a good life, a full life, and I’m nearing the end of that life.”

Please continue to pray for Trebek and other families affected by cancer.