Fox News Star And Former Secret Service Agent Dan Bongino, 47, Thriving As ‘Most-Watched TV Host’ After Beating Hodgkin Lymphoma

Just last month, AdWeek reported Bongino as having an average of 1.5million views. Bongino, who confidently continues to share his political views to a wide audience on the radio, internet and television, was also dubbed the most-watched TV host.

Related: Dan Bongino, 47, Says He Was 'Terrified' Of Covid Since He's A Cancer Survivor: 'I Freaked Out Man, I Had Cancer, I Thought I Was Dying!'

Dan Bongino's Cancer Battle

Bongino announced his Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis in October 2020. Interestingly enough, he was diagnosed after an oncology nurse who watches The Dan Bongino Show spotted a lump on his neck last year. After discovering the 10-centimeter by 7-centimeter tumor in his neck, Bongino had a biopsy. That's when he was given his diagnosis.

The radio host had always taken good care of himself, exercised often, and didn't have family members with cancer. So, like many cancer warriors, Bongino was shocked by his diagnosis.

"I'm a 45-year-old guy who's 6'1, 225 pounds," Bongino previously told SurvivorNet. "The first person I called was my mom. I didn't know what else to do. I just kind of broke down a bit… I said to my mother, 'I don't drink. I don't smoke. I've never done a drug in my entire life ever. Not one time. I work out five days a week.'”

“I eat clean as a whistle, and there's zero not a little, but zero cancer in my family,” he continued.

Bongino eventually had treatment which included surgery and chemotherapy. He didn't experience nausea from the chemo, he said, but the "chemo hiccups" kept him from sleeping. Luckily, he had his wife to support him through it all.

What Kind of Lymphoma Do You Have? Why Your Type Matters

"I would get choked up, because I could not go to sleep because of these damn chemo hiccups," he said. "My wife I was like a child she would be patting my back like she was burping a child and we would be up to two or three in the morning. She would be like, 'I can't watch you go through this.'"

Despite the hardships throughout his cancer battle, Bongino's work got him going in the morning.

"You know, I don't like to tell my audience because I always said I wouldn't do a show when I didn't feel like it, but there were a couple days where I was on the borderline, like 'I don't know if I can do this today,'" Bongino admitted. "And I was like, 'You know what, I'm gonna do it, this isn't that bad, and I'll get through it. Toughen up, don't be a wuss and get on the air.'"

Bongino went into remission in March 2021, and appears to be thriving today. He's also said that his cancer journey has given him a fresh perspective on life one that's allowed him to make the most of every moment.

"I was given the gift by God of finding out that we all have an expiration date," he said, noting that this was a positive thing. "Every minute of your life is a gift."

Keeping a Positive Attitude Through Cancer

Overall, despite some low moments that we all go through, Bongino has been impressively upbeat throughout his cancer journeyand very real, maintaining a positive, determined attitude. We admire his vulnerability in sharing his diagnosis with the world and showing both strength and emotion as he opens up to listeners about his battle.

Dr. Zuri Murrell told us in a previous interview how much a positive attitude can affect the cancer battle. "My patients who thrive, even with stage 4 cancer, from the time that they, about a month after they're diagnosed, I kind of am pretty good at seeing who is going to be OK. Now doesn't that mean I'm good at saying that the cancer won't grow. But I'm pretty good at telling what kind of patients are going to still have this attitude and probably going to live the longest, even with bad, bad disease. And those are patients who, they have gratitude in life."

Stay Positive, It Matters

Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

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