A Look Back at Cancer Patient Cindy Stowell’s Impressive Run on ‘Jeopardy’

Six-time Jeopardy champion Cindy Stowell’s reign came to an end Wednesday night. Stowell had been in the news recently when she passed away from stage IV colon cancer on Dec. 5, just eight days before her first episode of Jeopardy aired, on Dec. 13th. Only Alex Trebek and a handful of staffers were aware of Stowell’s condition while taping. After appearing on seven episodes, Stowell walked away with $105,803, most of which, she said, will go to the Cancer Research Institute.

It had been a lifelong dream of Stowell’s to compete on Jeopardy, and her journey began earlier this year. After taking an online test, she was invited to a personal interview, before which she informed one of the show’s producers of her illness and that she had only six months to live. That producer streamlined the process, and Stowell taped her first episode on Aug. 31.

Throughout her six-win run, Stowell was on painkillers and suffering from a high fever caused by a blood infection. After her final appearance on Jeopardy, Trebek took the time to say a final goodbye.

“For the last six Jeopardy episodes, you folks have been getting to know the talented champion, Cindy Stowell. Appearing on our program was the fulfillment of a lifelong ambition for that lady. What you did not know when we taped these programs with her a few weeks ago, she was suffering from stage IV cancer. And, sadly, on Dec. 5, Cindy Stowell passed away. So for all of us here at Jeopardy, our sincere condolences to her family and her friends,” Trebek said.

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