The Power of Support During Cancer Battle
- HGTV Star Tarek El Moussa shares a heartwarming photo of his daughter and baby son. Since beating cancer, he’s continued to put family first.
- El Moussa battled both thyroid and testicular cancer, beating the diseases after surgery and other treatment.
- El Moussa's three children mean the world to him. He shared previously that his children were sources of inspiration while overcoming thyroid and testicular cancer.
- SurvivorNet experts recommend cancer warriors battling a disease build a good support network to help them through treatment.
- A support system can be loved ones including family and friends or a trusted therapist.
After “devastating” cancer battles threatened his fertility, HGTV house flipper Tarek El Moussa, 41, is grateful for what he has and is cherishing every moment like when his 12-year-old daughter loves up on his adorable new baby.
El Moussa often shares special moments involving his children on social media. His latest post places a spotlight on the love his family shares for each other. His daughter Taylor Reese was captured in a photo holding her baby brother Tristan.
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El Moussa is perhaps best known for his television show "Flipping 101 With Tarek El Moussa” about acquiring homes, renovating them, and flipping them for profit.
El Moussa's three children mean the world to him. He shared previously that his children were sources of inspiration while overcoming thyroid and testicular cancer.
El Moussa's Focus on Family After Cancer Battle
Tarek El Moussa battled stage 3 thyroid cancer in 2013. An eagle-eyed fan of his HGTV show noticed a lump on his neck and contacted the TV network. Her concern prompted the famous house flipper to see his doctor leading to a diagnosis.
Thyroid cancer is cancer that starts in the thyroid gland, according to the American Cancer Society. The thyroid gland makes hormones that regulate your metabolism, heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature.
Common symptoms of thyroid cancer include a lump or swelling or pain in the neck, voice changes, constant cough, and difficulty swallowing or breathing.
El Moussa underwent surgery to have his "thyroid and multiple lymph nodes removed," People magazine reported.
In 2017, El Moussa revealed he was also diagnosed with testicular cancer the same day he got his thyroid cancer diagnosis.
"That was devastating,” he said.
Amid El Moussa's cancer journey, he said he gained 50 pounds, had two surgeries, and underwent radioactive iodine treatment, which is a "reliable treatment that targets thyroid cells so there is little exposure to the rest of your body's cells," according to the Cleveland Clinic.
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Throughout it all, El Moussa turned to his family and his children for support. He says they helped motivate him to keep fighting. In an Instagram post sharing he was "cancer free," he expressed his love for his family and supporters.
"This makes me so happy not for me but for my babies. I have to be healthy and alive for them!! (I'm tearing up writing this)," he wrote.
"They are my everything and they need their daddy!" he added.
Four years after being declared cancer-free, El Moussa continues to relish the love of his family.
Finding Support During Cancer Journey
- ‘She is Cancer-Free’ Says ‘AGT’ Soul Singer Ray Singleton of His Wife Who Beat Brain Cancer; Supportive Partners Through Cancer
- “I’ll Hand You to Pam”How One Breast Cancer Survivor Became a Support System for So Many
- “Ozzy Did Good” Says Colon Cancer Survivor Sharon Osbourne, 68; Spousal Support Through Cancer is So Important
- ‘I Miss You Dad,’ Says Nicky Trebek, Remembering Her Late Dad Alex Trebek Who Died of Pancreatic Cancer, and the Support He Received
Power of Support
SurvivorNet experts recommend cancer warriors battling a disease build a good support network to help them through treatment. A support system can be loved ones including family and friends or a trusted therapist. Support groups may also be a group of people all battling a cancer or disease.
WATCH: A Support System Like No Other
"Some people don't need to go outside of their family and friends circle. They feel like they have enough support there," psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik told SurvivorNet.
"But for people who feel like they need a little bit more, it's important to reach out to a mental health professional," Dr. Plutchik added.
Your supporters can do a wide range of things to make life easier for you while you are on your cancer journey. Some activities your support group may help you with include bringing you food to eat or being a shoulder to cry on.
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.