A New Lease on Life After Battling Cancer ... Twice!
- HGTV star Tarek El Moussa, 40, who achieved fame overnight with his long-running show Flip or Flop, and never hesitates to express gratitude.
- El Moussa beat cancer twice and found love again with new wife Heather Rae Young, 34, and constantly reiterates to his fans that there is always hope around the corner.
- It is crucial to have the support of a partner, friend, or family member during and after cancer.
“Behind every strong man is a woman that holds it all together,” the Newport Beach, Calif. real estate investor shared on his Instagram “… Heather is my better half!”
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Tarek El Moussa's Cancer Battles
Life took a turn for the worse for El Moussa in 2013, four years after he married Christina, when. he was diagnosed with thyroid cancer.
El Moussa’s thyroid cancer diagnosis came after an HGTV fan, who also happened to be a nurse, noticed a lump on El Moussa's throat while watching him on television. She contacted the network, telling them what she had seen.
In the very same year, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer.
During a 2017 interview with People magazine, El Moussa said of the experience: "I was at one building doing my thyroid stuff, and mentioned I was going across the street to get an ultrasound done. I'll never forget the doctor joking, 'I hope you don't have cancer!'"
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The treatment path for both types of cancers depends upon the stage at which the cancer is diagnosed. Common treatments for testicular cancer include chemotherapy, surgery and radiation. Treatments for thyroid cancer can include surgery, hormone therapy, radioactive iodine, radiation and, in some cases, chemotherapy.
Luckily, El Moussa was given the "all clear" and now shares his story to raise awareness on both diseases, while radiating positivity to those in need.
The Benefit of a Partner’s Support
Your partner can often times make or break your day-to-day life, especially when you're going through something as serious as cancer, which is an understatement.
"When you get cancer, it's a really great way to tell if your partner is the love of your life, or a sh**head," says writer and actress Jill Kargman, who sat down with SurvivorNet to talk life after cancer. "I think if you're with someone who is not supportive, or kind of emotionally checked out, or doesn't tell you you're still beautiful … this might not be your person."
If there are already issues in the relationship, cancer definitely has a way to magnify them! Conversely, cancer can sometimes help partners grow stronger together.
Even though El Moussa was not married to Young while he went through his battles, the after effects from the experience, as many survivors know, can still be challenging, and support is still crucial as you continue to navigate your "new normal." Plus, cancer survivors tend to not put up with people or things as easily as they did before because they realizemore than othersthat life is short. So let's all seize the day today!
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