"The Amazing Race" - Survivors - and me

From EW.com: The Amazing Race has not been shy about having former CBS reality stars on the show. Boston Rob Mariano and Amber Brkich of Survivor fame played twice, while Big Brother‘s Jeff Schroeder and Jordan Lloyd, as well as Alison Irwin (and her non-Big Brother boyfriend Donny) all have appeared on the program.

But now, for the first time, two winners will team up to compete as Survivor: Africa champ Ethan Zohn and Survivor: The Amazon victor Jenna Morasca head up the cast for the show’s 19th installment (premiering Sept. 25 on CBS), which will also feature some new twists to the game.

For Zohn, racing across the world with his longtime girlfriend is especially sweet considering his recent medical battles after being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. “Last year I was attached to a pump in complete isolation in a f—ing hospital room, and now I’m out traveling the world with the woman I love. Whatever happens, it’s gonna be okay,” Ethan told EW.com just before embarking on the race. “But if she screws up, I’m gonna kill her.”

Michael, Ethan and I at dinner.  I was 6 weeks out of chemo (still bloated), and Ethan was fighting tough.
This corner of the table was where we talked 'cancer journeys.'

I met Ethan during the time both he and I were facing cancer. I had the opportunity to have dinner with him in NYC with Olivia Newton-John, and he was really in the middle of it.  He and I huddled at the corner of the dinner table and "talked cancer" and the journey ahead. He was clearly in a tough fight but he was always upbeat and knew he would win. And he did. He's a quiet, tough fighter.

For a full list of teams click here.

The duos will experience a few new twists this time around, including the show’s first ever double elimination, and something called the Hazard, which is a penalty that one team will incur right at the starting line. And for the first time ever, The Amazing Race will be visiting the countries of Belgium, Denmark, Malawi, and Indonesia.