A Fox News TV host found out that he had skin cancer while live on air, the New York Post reports. During a segment on “Good Day Philadelphia” on FOX29, co-host Mike Jerrick spoke with Dr. Joanna Walker about skin care.
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Skin Cancer Discovered On TV Host Live On Air
This dermatologist from the Tara Miller Melanoma Center at the University of Pennsylvania was discussing how important it is to check your own skin for signs of skin cancer.
Walker then began to inspect Jerrick’s skin, specifically a small spot on his elbow. She quickly noted that it was basal cell carcinoma, which is a common type of treatable skin cancer.
“It has all the features of the most common type of skin cancer, which is also very treatable when it’s caught early,” said the dermatologist to viewers.
A surprised Jerrick then said, “What are you going to do to it, burn it off?”
Walker responded by explaining that this spot would likely need to be “cut and stitched.” She went on to say that a doctor should remove it before it starts to damage nearby, healthy skin. This is even though basal cell carcinoma rarely spreads, and if it does, it’s slow-spreading. Still, better to be safe than sorry.
The TV Host’s Reaction After The Live Segment
After this revelation, Jerrick spoke with Fox News Digital on Wednesday and revealed he was completely surprised by the news.
“I did say that we should have her bring her [micro]scope because I wanted to check out a couple of things on my arms,” said Jerrick. “So that part was planned, but I never really thought it was going to be skin cancer.”
The TV host was stunned at how quickly the dermatologist recognized his mole to be cancerous. “When she blurted it out, I didn’t get alarmed or anything,” said Jerrick. “It was just like, ‘Oh dang, I should have done this a long time ago.'”
He was also shocked that Walker recommended cutting it instead of burning it. “I was more shocked that she said she was going to cut it out instead of burn it off — that’s where I got surprised.”
Jerrick revealed that he scheduled an appointment for Friday to have the spot removed. “I should be fine,” he said. “She’ll just suture me up and I’ll be on my way.”