Rick Steves: I'd like to take a moment to share some important news. I have been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

[demmiblue]

I’d like to take a moment to share some important news. I have been diagnosed with prostate cancer. My doctor assures me that, if you’re going to get cancer, this is a good kind to get, and careful scans show no sign of it having spread. There is a clear path forward to getting healthy, and this fall, I’ll be in the hospital for a few days having prostate surgery.

My doctor’s fine with me filming two new TV shows in France for the next three weeks, returning home to Edmonds by mid-September. I’ll likely get my surgery in late September, be laid up for a month, and—God willing—be cancer-free and back at it by the end of October.

I have great trust in my doctor and in Seattle’s Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. And I have lots more to be thankful for…including the support of friends and loved ones and a strong faith that I’m in good hands.

While the statistics tell me I should be just fine, I’ve been fortunate to have never spent a night in a hospital — and I find myself going into this adventure almost like it’s some amazing, really important trip. I feel good about my positive attitude — and I expect to take home some delightful, if intangible, souvenirs like: appreciating and seeing a vibrancy in the little things; appreciating the goodness in people and the treasure of friends and family; being wowed by modern medicine and the army of amazing, smart, and dedicated people that make it possible; appreciating what a blessing life, health, and this world to enjoy is; and — just in general — being more thankful.

I’m looking forward to many more years of happy travels, exciting collaborations, and beautiful friendships. Thank you for your love and support (and any “travel tips” you may have for me as I set off on this journey).

Rick

PS: I’ll keep you posted.

Link to tweet

[CTyankee]

1. Hope he'll continue to improve. I love the guy, a travel guru whose writings about his travel were

enlightening to me back when I went to Europe on an art trip every year for 10 years. His insights helped me enormously!

[Torchlight]

2. There aren't many media personalities I could recognize on the street.

Rick Steves though might be the only person I'd ever fan-boy over. His travel show gets rave reviews at my place, and we often put in rerun DVDs of his show for white noise when we're looking for calm.

[MagickMuffin]

3. Get well Rick Steves, lucky you'll be in a Cannabis legal state

That should help during the process!

[Figarosmom]

4. Sounds like his dr

Last edited Thu Aug 22, 2024, 11:30 PM - Edit history (1)

Believes he'll be ok I do love his show and wish him well

[UTUSN]

5. Thankful for Rick STEVES

[rogerballard]

6. " My doctor assures me that, if you're going to get cancer, this is a good kind to get"?

Nothing against you, Demmiblue, but that is an absurd and wrong statement made by a doctor or anyone else for that matter. Rick was lucky they caught it in time and were able to do surgery. It looks like they caught it early enough. I am one of many that have metastatic prostate cancer that was not caught early enough or have a more aggressive form of prostate cancer and rely on chemo, radiation, and medication with all the horrible side effects that go with it. It is different for everyone. Prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death in American men. Best wishes to Rick. September is prostate cancer awareness month. 

[HAB911]

17. Yep, I hear ya

I have prostate cancer from Agent Orange exposure, caught early, slow growing, hasn't spread. I've elected to have radiation rather than a prostatectomy and just the preliminary work, biopsy, SpacOar insertion, and CT simulations have made me pass out twice. Start the actual treatment in a couple of weeks. This sucks real hard.

[rogerballard]

18. It does suck and I feel you

Horrible and nasty disease. My oncologist opted for palliative care. My cancer had already advanced and spread (pelvic lymph nodes) when I got the diagnosis, the cancer has now spread to my spine. I am doing hormone therapy and Xgeva for bone strength. I wrote Rick Steves and let him know that what his doctor said was both dangerous and absurd. I hope the best for you as can be expected.

[electric_blue68]

24. Oh dear. So sorry

[HAB911]

28. So very sorry

I am asymptomatic and had it not been for trouble passing a kidney stone and the urologist questioning why, mine might have gone on to metastasize. At about the same time I learned about the PACT ACT and that I was stationed on the DMZ in 1970, the one and only year they sprayed the place with AO, so red alarms bells were ringing anyway.

I wish the best for you.

[electric_blue68]

23. Good luck!

[Ponietz]

7. Was thinking about starting a Saturday morning "Best of the Internet" thread

We could share our favorites.
Rick Steves’ would be my first rec. Watch ad-free.
https://www.ricksteves.com

[elleng]

8. Hope he does well.

My good friend was treated @ NIH with radiation, and seems to be fine.

[Doc Sportello]

9. Good luck, Rick

Every trip to Europe I took came with one of his books in the bag. Really helpful too. Plus, his introduction of topics like fascism in Europe into his show and freely sharing his politics are much appreciated. Wish him well.

[AKwannabe]

10. We got you in Seattle bro!

Whatever you need!

Thanks for helping to make weed legal.
I owe you big time!!!!

[OMGWTF]

11. I hope he will be okay; he's such a cool guy!

I took a four-week "Europe Through the Backdoor" class from him at the University of Washington in 1982 to prepare for my first trip to Europe. I still have the gold construction paper, stapled book with the hand drawn maps and typewritten pages. I'd like him to autograph it someday.

[KatyaR]

12. Nooooooooooo!

I love Rick and his approach to travel. Plus, he's just a great guy.

Please get well soon, we love you!

[Snoopy 7]

13. DU family

Please take care and hope and prayers from your DU family

[OnDoutside]

14. I am grateful to DUers here for bringing Rick Steves to my attention some years ago, so myself & my wife have watched

everything we can find on Youtube over here, of Rick's travel programs. Delighted to know it's good news for him, and we wish him well. Such a lovely human being.

[Dem2theMax]

15. Sending tons of positive thoughts his way.

I always enjoy his travel shows. But his books are even better. His sense of humor doesn't show up in the shows, but it is in the books.

Any trip I've ever taken, there's been a Rick Steves book going on the trip with me.

[Joinfortmill]

16. I love this guy. I had the good fortune to travel to Europe twice

with EF, educational tours with my daughter and a group of great high school students. It was so much fun, but it was the stereotypical 3 countries in 6 days! Lol. But worth every tired minute of it.

[XanaDUer2]

19. Nooooooo!!!!!

I love him.

[Tommy Carcetti]

20. Hope he recovers quickly!

I'll occassional listen/watch in on his radio and television shows. I like his passion for travel, and he has that whole "PBS Nice" thing nailed down along the lines of Fred Rogers, Levar Burton and Bob Ross.

[calimary]

29. Indeed! I hope he takes a turn for the BETTER, and SOON!

[BrightKnight]

21. I bought plane tickets and visited places that didn't speak much English

because he made it look possible. Real life adventures are much better than TV. I imagine he got a lot of people out of the house.

praying for healing

[mucholderthandirt]

22. Always loved his shows on PBS. Got to love a lot of places watching him explore the world.

My sister's doctor told her that thyroid cancer was the one to get if you had to get cancer. Only one form fatal, mostly men get that one, treatment was almost always effective in removing the tumor and it rarely spread. It does take a good doc and lots of trial and error to get the thyroid replacement right, though.

[electric_blue68]

25. {hugs} My sister, too.

She hasn't mentioned anything about trouble with the HRT. Been ?4+ yrs. And caught by accident on an X-ray for something else!

[electric_blue68]

26. Don't know his shows, but Good Luck to him, and DU-rs.

Caught it early w my dad. Had anorher ?35 - 40 yrs.

[surfered]

27. We are huge fans having used most of his European guide books.

Sounds like they caught it early. Post surgery, if it were to return, he still has radiation therapy. I suspect Rick will keep on traveling for a long time to come.

We hope for the best.

[Carlitos Brigante]

30. K&R! For a great human being. nt