Travel writer and TV host Rick Steves has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
On Wednesday, Aug. 21, Steves, 69, shared on X (formerly known as Twitter) that he was preparing to have surgery at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center-Seattle this fall, but was remaining thankful and positive.
“I’d like to take a moment to share some important news. I have been diagnosed with prostate cancer,” the Rick Steves’ Europe star began. “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 added.
Steves, known for giving travel tips via his TV shows and Europe Through the Back Door guidebook series, revealed he’d been given the go-ahead to film two more shows in France over the next three weeks before returning home to Edmonds, Washington by mid-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,” the travel host shared.
“I have great trust in my doctor and in Seattle’s Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. And I have lots more to be thankful for… including the support of friends and loved ones and a strong faith that I’m in good hands,” he added.
Steves said he’d luckily never had to spend a night in hospital before, but was looking at it as 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.
“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 added.
“I’m looking forward to many more years of happy travels, exciting collaborations, and beautiful friendships. Thank you for your love and support (and any ‘travel tips’ you may have for me as I set off on this journey),” he concluded.
The best-selling author posted the message with a photo from his travels, with the caption, “Be thankful.”
Steves would usually spend about four months a year in Europe, working on new travel content and his many projects. As well as his guidebook series, TV show and Travel with Rick Steves radio show, his company also runs a small-group tour program taking 30,000 travelers to Europe annually, per his website.
