Rick Steves—a juggernaut unto himself in the world of travel—has announced to fans that he has prostate cancer, reports NBC News. The 69-year-old, who is the longtime host of the PBS show Rick Steves’ Europe as well as the radio show and podcast Travel With Rick Steves, says he will undergo surgery next month at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center-Seattle and is optimistic about his prognosis. He plans to be back at work by the end of October. “I find myself going into this adventure almost like it’s some amazing, really important trip,” he writes.
- “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.”
Steves tells the New York Times he received the diagnosis a few weeks ago in a routine blood test. Further tests revealed the cancer—the second-leading cause of cancer deaths among men—has not spread, and thus Steves says his odds of a full recovery are strong. “But I’m going into it with eyes open,” he adds. “I mean, I’ve got cancer. That’s a serious thing.” (More Rick Steves stories.)
