Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
More On:
al roker
-
Hoda Kotb Shocked To Learn NBC's Paris Olympics Coverage Will Feature A Live "Hoda-Cam": "Whaaaat?"
-
Andy Cohen Recalls The Time Al Roker Pooped His Pants At The White House: "He Sharted"
-
Craig Melvin Spills Tea About 'Today' Co-Host Al Roker On 'WWHL'
-
Eddie Murphy Says His Real-Life Son-In-Law Tased Him In The Neck In 'Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F'
NBC’s Today weatherman and co-host Al Roker has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Roker announced his diagnosis Friday morning on Today and explained that while his doctors caught the cancer early, he will be taking active steps to prevent its spread. The beloved host added that he expects to be away from the show for about two weeks as he undergoes surgery to remove his prostate.
“After a routine check up in September, it turns out, I have prostate cancer,” Roker told Today viewers this morning. “It’s a good news-bad news kind of thing. 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.”
Roker will receive treatment at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, according to Today. Dr. Vincent Laudone will perform his surgery next week.
“Fortunately his cancer appears somewhat limited or confined to the prostate, but because it’s more aggressive, we wanted to treat it,” Laudone explained during an interview on the show. “After discussion regarding all of the different options — surgery, radiation, focal therapy — we settled on removing the prostate.”
The weatherman-turned-anchor told his fellow hosts that it was important to share his story publicly because one in nine men, and one in seven Black men, will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetimes. He urged viewers to get regular check-ups, as the cancer is very treatable if doctors detect it early. “The problem for African American men is that any number of reasons from genetics to access to health care, and so we want to make it available and let people know they got to get checked,” said Roker.
“I don’t want people thinking, ‘Oh, poor Al,’ you know, because I’m gonna be OK,” he promised Today fans. “You know what? If that’s what it takes to get 2020 out, then let’s just get it outta the way. Boom! Let’s just finish it off. I’m ready. How about you?”
Sending you all the good vibes, Al Roker! We hope to see you back on Today soon.
