HEALTHOn The Mend! 'Today' Host Al Roker Is 'Back Home' After Prostate Cancer Surgery
Phew! Today cohost Al Roker is recovering from his prostate cancer surgery. The 66-year-old updated his fans on the operation on Twitter and Instagram on Thursday, November 12.
"Relieved to let you all know that my #prostatecancer surgery is done and back home," he wrote.
He shared a photo with his wife, Deborah Roberts, and another with his 18-year-old son, Nicholas.
"A big shoutout to everyone at the #josierobertsonsurgerycenter and so appreciate all the thoughts and wishes from our viewers and the wonderful care packages from my co-workers," he added. "Hope to see you all soon."
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Fans, coworkers and friends took to the comments section to celebrate the good news.
The Today show account left three orange hearts, while Hoda and Jenna left one red heart. "May you heal quickly," Stephanie Abrams wrote. "Prayers up!!" Sunny Anderson said.
Roberts took to her own Instagram page to show support for her husband. "Let the healing begin. I am so in awe of this guy and his indomitable spirit. So blessed and grateful for the avalanche of love, prayers and support for @alroker #gratitude," she wrote.
Roker only announced the diagnosis on Friday, November 6, while he was on-air.
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"It's a good news–bad news kind of thing," he said. "Good news is we caught it early. Not great news is that it's a little aggressive, so I'm going to be taking some time off to take care of this."
He wanted to share the diagnosis to raise awareness to the condition as it effects one in nine men.
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His doctor Dr. Vincent Laudone said his cancer "appears somewhat limited or confined to the prostate," and they were "settled on removing the prostate."
The cancer was found during a routine physical exam when Roker’s doctor found that he has an "elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA)" in his bloodwork. The host then had a MRI and a biopsy that confirmed the diagnosis.
"When he started, he closed his door and said, 'I always like to have these discussions face to face,'" Roker recalled. "And I was like, 'Uh oh. Well, that doesn't sound good.'... You hear the word cancer and your mind goes — it's the next level, you know?"
The weatherman was overwhelmed by the support he received on social media after he shared his diagnosis.
"Oh my gosh, is this not a glorious day or what? Fantastic. And it reminds me that I've got to thank each and every one of you for your prayers, your support, your well wishes after I announced on Friday that I am battling prostate cancer," Roker said in an Instagram video on Saturday, November 7.
"And with any luck, next week I'm going to be having prostate cancer surgery, and I'm going to tell prostate cancer, to borrow a phrase, 'you're fired.'"
"I am beyond #grateful to the outpouring of #prayers and #goodwishes since I shared I have #prostatecancer but going to tell that cancer, #yourefired," he captioned the post at the time.
