Nurse Warns HGTV's Tarek El Moussa After Spotting Lump on TV

Image: ABC News

The story of HGTV star Tarek El Moussa’s life-changing cancer diagnoses is a powerful example of how a nurse’s careful attention can make a difference far beyond the bedside—and even through a TV screen.

During the second season of “Flip or Flop,” Tarek’s production company received an email that would change everything. It wasn’t fan mail or a question about fixing houses. It was a message from a registered nurse in Texas who noticed something worrying. “The email said, ‘I’m a registered nurse from Texas. I noticed a lump on Tarek’s neck. This is not a joke. He needs to get it checked out,’” Tarek shared in an Instagram post recently.

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A post shared by Tarek El Moussa (@therealtarekelmoussa)

This wasn’t the first time Tarek had wondered about the lump. He had already asked his primary care doctor, who told him to try nasal spray for allergies. Yep, nasal spray—cue the collective nurse groan. Thankfully, the nurse’s message pushed him to get another opinion, and what followed showed just how important it is to speak up and push for answers.

A Nurse’s Email Sparks a Life-Saving Diagnosis

After reading the email, Tarek scheduled a biopsy. The results showed atypical cells—a warning sign that something serious could be going on. Surgery confirmed it: he had stage 3 thyroid cancer that had already moved to his lymph nodes. Treatment involved removing his thyroid and the affected nodes.

But the shock didn’t end there. While looking through his old medical records after this diagnosis, he noticed a past testicular exam that had been overlooked. During a follow-up visit for his thyroid cancer, he asked for a quick ultrasound—because who doesn’t love an unexpected test, right? That ultrasound revealed he also had testicular cancer.

“Twenty minutes later, I found out I had testicular cancer,” Tarek recalled. Two major cancer diagnoses within months. 

And if that wasn’t enough, he chose to keep filming his show while going through treatment. “It was really important to me that I didn’t quit, to prove to myself and my family that nothing would stop me,” he said.

His determination is impressive, but the nurse who spotted the lump on TV is the true standout figure here. If they hadn’t reached out, things could have turned out very differently.

Ten Years of Remission and Gratitude

Today, Tarek has been in remission for more than ten years, and he credits the nurse’s email with saving his life. “I’m most proud to say that the year I had the surgeries and I fought the two cancers and I was in hospitals, I quadrupled the size of my house-flipping business,” Tarek shared.

His experience is a strong reminder of what nursing is all about: noticing health concerns, standing up for patients, and making a lasting difference—sometimes in the most unexpected ways. So the next time you see something that seems off, don’t ignore it. You might save a life.

🤔Nurses, share your thoughts in the discussion forum below!