Fighting the Good Fight

Like millions of others, I was sorry to learn about the recent passing of Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek. He was honest and brave about his battle with pancreatic cancer, which, like too many other forms of cancer, has a terribly low survival rate. Finding new treatments for serious diseases, including cancer, is what motivates all of us at Amgen. While good progress has been made – in the U.S., for example, the cancer death rate has fallen by nearly 30% over the past 30 years – there is still a lot of work to be done and we are committed to the fight. 

Alex had the courage to speak about the toll cancer took on his mental health, and we know that the COVID-19 pandemic has added a whole new layer of complexity and concern for cancer patients. That’s why we’re working with the Centers for Disease Control and the CDC Foundation on a public service announcement, Dealing with Cancer During COVID-19, that encourages people to work with their doctors to continue getting the care they need. We’re also working with them on a program called EmPOWERed Health that helps patients to be active participants in the many important decisions that need to be made across the cancer continuum – from prevention to survivorship. 

In his autobiography, The Answer Is…, Alex wrote, “Interestingly, the longer I’ve lived with the cancer, the more my definition of toughness has changed. I used to think not crying meant you were tough. Now I think crying means you’re tough. It means you’re strong enough to be honest and vulnerable. It means you’re not pretending. And not pretending, being willing to let your guard down and show people how you truly feel, is one of the toughest things a person can do.” 

Godspeed, Alex, you will be missed, but your legacy will continue to inspire.