It has been revealed that Rick Steves, a travel writer and TV broadcaster, has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Steves, who is 69 years old, said on X (which was previously known as Twitter) on Wednesday, August 21, that he was getting ready to have surgery at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle this autumn, but that he was in a grateful and optimistic state of mind.
“Please allow me to take a minute to share some very important news with you. As the Rick Steves Europe star started his speech, he announced that he had 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,” he said in addition.
Steves, who is well-known for providing travel advice via his television programs and Europe via the Back Door guidebook series, said that he had been granted permission to record two additional episodes in France over the course of the following three weeks before returning to Edmonds, Washington, by the middle of 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,” according to the host of the trip.
My doctor and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle are both people in whom I have a tremendous deal of faith. And there are many more things for which I am grateful… Including the support of loved ones and friends, as well as a firm belief that I am in capable hands,” he went on to say.
In spite of the fact that Steves had never been required to spend the night in the hospital before, he was considering this to be yet another “amazing trip.”
“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,” Steves wrote in his journal.
“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,” he said in conclusion.
“I am looking forward to many more years of joyful travels, exciting collaborations, and beautiful friendships,” she said. After that, he came to a conclusion by saying, “Thank you for your love and support, as well as any ‘travel tips’ you might have for me as I embark on this journey.”
The author of the best-selling book shared the message beside a photograph that he had taken on his travels, along with the comment “Be thankful.”
During the course of a year, Steves would often spend around four months in Europe, where he would work on various projects and fresh travel material. According to the information provided on his website, in addition to his guidebook series, television show, and radio show titled “Travel with Rick Steves,” his organization also operates a small-group tour program that takes around 30,000 tourists to Europe each year.
