‘Flip or Flop’ Star Meets Fan Who Saved His Life

Tarek El Moussa with wife Christina. (Photo: Getty)

When registered nurse Ryan Read first noticed a lump on “Flip or Flop” cohost Tarek El Moussa’s neck, she knew immediately that something was amiss. She was hesitant to reach out and express concern, she said on “The Doctors” earlier this week, but she ultimately decided to email producers.

“You get that gut feeling, you know, and halfway through the marathon I saw it,” Read told The Doctors. “I stopped the TV, rewound it, watched a few more episodes, and I’m like, there’s definitely something there, I need to get the message to him.”

El Moussa had been to the doctor who told him nothing was wrong, but said that receiving a note from Read was the push he needed to get a second opinion — a decision that saved his life. El Moussa was diagnosed with thyroid cancer that had spread to his lymph nodes, and underwent thyroid radioactive iodine therapy immediately after. That was in 2013 — now, two years later, he’s cancer-free.

He and wife Christina thanked Read in an emotional HGTV video, and were finally able to meet her in person this week on “The Doctors.” One expert applauded her for taking action, and not assuming that El Moussa had it under control. “Whether it’s someone on TV, your sister, your parent — if you notice a change, and you notice something abnormal, advise them of it,” another added.

Thyroid cancer isn’t common in the United States, according to the Mayo Clinic, but rates of the cancer are increasing — possibly because of new technology that allows for earlier detection. Symptoms of the cancer include a lump, like the one on El Moussa’s neck, vocal changes, difficulty swallowing, neck pain, and swollen lymph nodes. If you notice symptoms, consult a doctor, who can run blood tests. Thyroid cancer is highly treatable.

Read This Next: What It’s Really Like to Have Thyroid Cancer