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Since his cancer diagnosis in 2013, Flip or Flop’s Tarek El Moussa has openly shared his medical journey through interviews and social media.
But now, the HGTV star is taking things a step further in TNT’s new series, Chasing the Cure Presents Saved By a Stranger, premiering Aug. 8.
Chasing the Cure, a live medical series from Ann Curry, focuses on patients who suffer from undiagnosed, misdiagnosed or uncured medical issues. The series features 10 episodes connecting these patients with a panel of top doctors who work to help solve their cases.
The series enlisted El Moussa—who had an irregular experience of his own—to tell the story of the stranger who helped save his life.
During season two of Flip or Flop, a professional nurse from Texas noticed a lump on El Moussa’s thyroid while watching the show. She then sent an email, which El Moussa reads in the spot, urging him to visit the doctor.
El Moussa was then diagnosed with thyroid cancer, and just a few weeks later, diagnosed with testicular cancer.
“If she didn’t send that email, there’s a chance I wouldn’t be doing this interview right now,” El Moussa says in the spot. “If she didn’t send that email, maybe there are other people out there that never would have found out they had cancer because I didn’t have my story.”
El Moussa described his story to share why he’s an advocate for the series. People can truly impact each other’s lives, he describes, which is the foundation of Chasing the Cure.
“I’m thrilled to be sharing my story because I might be able to save another life,” El Moussa says. “At the end of the day, I know the power of TV and I know the power of medicine. I know the power of people, and when you combine all those three, it’s life changing and it’s absolutely incredible.”
Chasing the Cure premieres live on Thursday, Aug. 8 at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on TNT and TBS.