Alex Trebek Speaks Out About His Cancer Battle in First Live Interview Since Revealing Diagnosis

Battling stage IV pancreatic cancer has been anything but easy for Alex Trebek. After revealing he was diagnosed nearly two months ago, Alex, 78, did his first live interview with Robin Roberts on Wednesday, May 1, and opened up about all of the support his fans have given him.

“People all over America have been sharing their good thoughts, their advice, their prayers,” he gushed on Good Morning America. “And I feel it’s been making a difference.”

By being open about his cancer diagnosis, Alex has been able to relate to his fans in a way that he never could before. “It’s great to be considered an inspiration to people,” he noted. “I’ve had so many contacts from people who have survived cancer. I am now a 30-day survivor … I’m going to catch up to those other people.”

Alex is determined that cancer won’t get the best of him. He’s already started doing chemotherapy treatments that have made him feel a little bit better. “My oncologist tells me I’m doing well,” he admitted. Though things seem to be looking up for the star, he confessed there are still days when he experiences “surges of deep, deep sadness.” When that happens he confessed “it brings tears to my eyes.”

That said, Alex won’t let his disease bring him down that easy! “I’m fighting through it,” he said. “My platelets are steady, my blood counts are steady, my weight is steady.” With all of the fan mail he’s been receiving, he knows there’re a ton of people out there who have his back.

“I just want to take a few moments to say thanks to the, believe it or not, hundreds of thousands of people who have sent in tweets, texts, emails, cards and letters wishing me well following my recent health announcement,” he previously shared to Twitter. “I’m a lucky guy.”