Editing Roger Ebert (section)

===Health===
[[File:Boutte and Ebert.jpg|thumb|Ebert (right) at the [[Conference on World Affairs]] in September 2002, shortly after his cancer diagnosis|alt=An image of a woman in a red dress speaking with a man, both sitting down.]]

In February 2002, Ebert was diagnosed with [[papillary thyroid cancer]] which was successfully removed.{{sfn|Singer|2023|p=243}} In 2003, he underwent surgery for [[salivary gland cancer]], which was followed up by [[radiation therapy]]. He was again diagnosed with cancer in 2006. In June of that year, he had a [[mandibulectomy]] to remove cancerous tissue in the right side of his jaw.<ref name="email">{{cite web |last=Ebert |first=Roger |date=August 17, 2006 |title=Email from Roger |url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060817/PEOPLE/60817001 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060820123705/http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060817/PEOPLE/60817001 |archive-date=August 20, 2006 |access-date=January 18, 2024 |website=RogerEbert.com}}</ref> A week later he had a life-threatening complication when his [[carotid artery]] burst near the surgery site.<ref>{{cite web |last=Ebert |first=Roger |date=June 29, 2007 |title=Sicko Movie Review & Film Summary |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/sicko-2007 |access-date=February 9, 2021 |website=[[RogerEbert.com]] |archive-date=February 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209054957/https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/sicko-2007 |url-status=live }}</ref> He was confined to bed rest and was unable to speak, eat, or drink for a time, necessitating the use of a [[feeding tube]].<ref name="blogs.suntimes.com">{{cite web |author=Ebert, Roger |date=January 6, 2010 |url=http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2010/01/nil_by_mouth.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100109083637/http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2010/01/nil_by_mouth.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 9, 2010 |title=Nil by mouth |website=Roger Ebert's Journal }}</ref>

The complications kept Ebert off the air for an extended period. Ebert made his first public appearance since mid-2006 at Ebertfest on April 25, 2007. He was unable to speak, instead communicating through his wife.<ref>{{cite news |author=Jim Emerson |date=March 29, 2007 |title=Ebertfest '07: 'It's his happening and it freaks him out!' |url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20070329%2FFILMFESTIVALS06%2F70329001 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111114140735/http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070329/FILMFESTIVALS06/70329001 |archive-date=November 14, 2011 |access-date=September 4, 2009 |work=Chicago Sun-Times}}</ref> He returned to reviewing on May 18, 2007, when three of his reviews were published in print.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/frontpage |title=RogerEbert.com Front Page |author=Ebert, Roger |access-date=May 22, 2007 |work=Chicago Sun-Times |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070521015959/http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/frontpage/ |archive-date=May 21, 2007}}</ref> In July 2007, he revealed that he was still unable to speak.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070721/COMMENTARY/70721001 |title=RogerEbert.com commentary |access-date=July 23, 2007 |work=Chicago Sun-Times |archive-date=February 11, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130211235435/http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070721/COMMENTARY/70721001 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Ebert adopted a computerized voice system to communicate, eventually using a copy of his own voice created from his recordings by [[CereProc]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Lund |first=Jordan |url=http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2009/08/finding_my_own_voice.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090815000910/http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2009/08/finding_my_own_voice.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 15, 2009 |title=Roger Ebert's Journal: Finding my own voice 8 December 2009 |work=Chicago Sun-Times |access-date=October 17, 2009 }}</ref>

In March 2010, his health trials and new computerized voice were featured on ''[[The Oprah Winfrey Show]]''.<ref>{{cite web |author=Ebert, Roger |date=February 26, 2010 |url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100226/PEOPLE/100229986 |title=Hello, this is me speaking |website=Roger Ebert's Journal |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100309081208/http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100226/PEOPLE/100229986 |archive-date=March 9, 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=KenTucker>{{cite magazine |author=[[Ken Tucker|Tucker, Ken]] |date=March 2, 2010 |url=http://watching-tv.ew.com/2010/03/02/oprah-roger-ebert-oscars/ |title=Roger Ebert predicts the Oscars, movingly: 'No more surgery for me.' |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |access-date=March 3, 2010 |archive-date=March 5, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100305081546/http://watching-tv.ew.com/2010/03/02/oprah-roger-ebert-oscars/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2011, Ebert gave a [[TED (conference)|TED talk]] assisted by his wife, Chaz, and friends [[Dean Ornish]] and John Hunter, called "Remaking my voice"<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ebert |first=Roger |date=2011 |title=Remaking my voice |url=https://www.ted.com/talks/roger_ebert_remaking_my_voice |access-date=February 25, 2023 |archive-date=February 25, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230225022026/https://www.ted.com/talks/roger_ebert_remaking_my_voice |url-status=live }}</ref> in which, he [[Ebert test|proposed a test]] to determine the verisimilitude of a synthesized voice.<ref>{{cite news |title=Roger Ebert Tests His Vocal Cords, and Comedic Delivery |url=http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/07/roger-ebert-tests-his-vocal-cords-and-comedic-delivery/ |newspaper=The New York Times |date=March 7, 2011 |access-date=April 4, 2013 |archive-date=April 5, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130405012559/http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/07/roger-ebert-tests-his-vocal-cords-and-comedic-delivery/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Ebert underwent further surgery in January 2008 to try to restore his voice and address the complications from his previous surgeries.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20080125%2FEDITOR%2F795706793 |author=Emerick, Laura |title=Ebert doing well after surgery |publisher=[[RogerEbert.com]]/Chicago Sun-Times |date=January 25, 2008 |access-date=January 26, 2008 |archive-date=June 22, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120622015139/http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080125/EDITOR/795706793 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/thumbs-up-for-roger-ebert-after-latest-bout-of-surgery-lawyer-reports-1.695384 |title=Thumbs up for Roger Ebert after latest bout of surgery, lawyer reports |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation |date=January 25, 2008 |access-date=October 17, 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080605081213/http://www.cbc.ca/arts/film/story/2008/01/25/ebert-roger-surgery.html |archive-date=June 5, 2008}}</ref> On April 1, Ebert announced his speech had not been restored.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/870571,ebert040108.article |title="Roger Ebert: Let's go to the movies"; ''Chicago Sun-Times''; April 1, 2008 |work=Chicago Sun-Times |access-date=October 17, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080404034550/http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/870571,ebert040108.article |archive-date=April 4, 2008}}</ref> Ebert underwent further surgery in April 2008 after fracturing his hip in a fall.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ebert |first=Roger |date=April 18, 2008 |title=Ebert recovering from hip surgery |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/roger-ebert/ebert-recovering-from-hip-surgery |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209033027/https://www.rogerebert.com/roger-ebert/ebert-recovering-from-hip-surgery |archive-date=February 9, 2021 |access-date=February 9, 2021 |website=[[RogerEbert.com]] |language=en}}</ref> By 2011, Ebert had a prosthetic chin made to hide some of the damage done by his many surgeries.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ebert |first=Roger |date=January 19, 2011 |title=Leading with my chin |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/roger-ebert/leading-with-my-chin |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209032815/https://www.rogerebert.com/roger-ebert/leading-with-my-chin |archive-date=February 9, 2021 |access-date=February 9, 2021 |website=[[RogerEbert.com]] |language=en}}</ref>

In December 2012, Ebert was hospitalized due to the fractured hip, which was subsequently determined to be the [[Bone metastasis|result of cancer]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ebert |first1=Roger |date=April 2, 2013 |title=A Leave of Presence |url=http://www.rogerebert.com/rogers-journal/a-leave-of-presence |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210209032510/https://www.rogerebert.com/roger-ebert/a-leave-of-presence |archive-date=February 9, 2021 |access-date=February 9, 2021 |website=[[RogerEbert.com]]}}</ref>

Ebert wrote that "what's sad about not eating" was:<blockquote>The loss of dining, not the loss of food. It may be personal, but for me, unless I'm alone, it doesn't involve dinner if it doesn't involve talking. The food and drink I can do without easily. The jokes, gossip, laughs, arguments and shared memories I miss. Sentences beginning with the words, "Remember that time?" I ran in crowds where anyone was likely to break out in a poetry recitation at any time. Me too. But not me anymore. So yes, it's sad. Maybe that's why I enjoy this blog. You don't realize it, but we're at dinner right now.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ebert |first=Roger |date=January 6, 2010 |title=Nil by mouth |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/roger-ebert/nil-by-mouth |website=RogerEbert.com |access-date=February 13, 2023 |archive-date=February 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230213232804/https://www.rogerebert.com/roger-ebert/nil-by-mouth |url-status=live }}</ref></blockquote>