Outside the "South': HGTV Viewer saves Host's life by diagnosing his cancer while watch
A nurse watching TV from home noticed that Tarek, presenter of show Flip Or Flop on HGTV, had a lump on his throat that she identified as cancerous, and emailed in to the show imploring he get it checked.
Registered nurse Ryan Read instinctively knew the growth was cancerous and knew it needed urgent attention, but she was afraid that show bosses would think she was a crazed fan rather than taking her warning seriously.
Tarek and his wife Christina on Flip Or Flop (Picture: Instagram)
Luckily they listened and passed on her concerns to the presenter straight away. He immediately went to see his doctor.
Read had been spot on – 34-year-old Tarek had thyroid cancer which had sadly spread to his lymph nodes. Thankfully, with the viewer’s quick thinking, doctors were able to start treatment in time.
The presenter then had to have complicated surgery which lasted four hours, followed by intensive radiation treatment.
Three years later he is now in remission.
He told People magazine: ‘The last three years have been a pretty big challenge. I feel good, but I don’t have the energy I used to have. The only thing is most days or like half the time I feel a little jetlagged. I’m really tired.’
Christina gave birth to their new son just 10 weeks ago.