Cancer Fighters Thrive

SUMMER 2012

Cancer Fighters Thrive is a quarterly print and online magazine bringing readers practical, innovative and inspirational information about cancer treatment and survivorship.

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HUMOR Christine Clifford, CSP, Laugh 'til It Heals! By Christine K. Clifford, CSP Cancer is a laughing matter? Who knew? When I was diagnosed with stage III metastatic breast cancer 18 years ago, laughter was the last thing on my mind. Yet immediately I witnessed a phenomenon: when friends and family learned I had cancer, they didn't know what to say. Not wanting to say the "wrong thing," they often ended up saying nothing, causing me to feel isolated and alone. I started receiving "silent gestures of support." Cards came in the mail; people sent flowers; others dropped meals at my door. But I discovered that humor was a great connector of people, and I wanted people around me. I started drawing cartoons about my cancer experience. If someone sent me flowers or dropped off food, I would send them a thank-you note, using a cartoon. Guess what happened? They picked up the phone and called me! Finally—a voice! Humor is a great connector of people. It puts people at ease. Being lighthearted or making fun of something you've just experienced (flying wigs was a big one for me) changes everything. Your breathing level changes. Blood flow changes. Muscle tension is reduced. Stress goes down. Physicians such as Lee Berk, MD; O. Carl Simonton, MD; and Patch Adams, 46 cancer fighters thrive | summer 2012 is president and chief ex- ecutive officer of The Cancer Club (cancerclub.com) and the author of eight books, including Laugh 'til It Heals: Notes from the World's Funniest Cancer Mailbox (Anshan, 2011); Not Now . . . I'm Having a No Hair Day! (University of Minnesota Press, 1996); and Cancer Has Its Privileges: Stories of Hope and Laughter (Perigee Trade, 2002). She is an 18-year breast cancer survivor and speaks internationally on finding humor in the cancer journey. Don't forget to laugh! E-mail Christine at christine@cancerclub.com. MD, proved that laughter provides physiological benefits, such as increasing natural killer cell activity, the body's natural fighter for viruses and tumors; increasing T-cell activity; and reducing cortisone levels, which tend to suppress the immune system. Not convinced that you can get your daily dose of laughter while going through treatments? Read on and see how these cancer patients got a bellyful. Warning: Humor may be hazardous to your illness! Dear Cancer Club, My funny episode was at work. I own a small shop with flags, banners, and windsocks. I was taking a windsock off the floor for a customer when another sock hanging from a battery-operated spinner got caught in my wig, spinning and spinning until it was wrapped up in all my plastic hair! I removed my wig, took down the from the spinner ceiling, and carefully removed the metal. I thought I was going to wet my pants, I was laughing so hard! The customer ignored the entire thing. Ovarian cancer. Cancer-free eight months and counting! —Terri Horne, Cincinnati, Ohio cfthrive.com Dear Cancer Club, Four months after my surgery, I attended a support group where they displayed prostheses. One woman spoke up and said she simply used a shoulder pad in her bra and that helped a lot. I liked that idea. The following Saturday night I was invited to a friend's house and thought this would be the perfect time to try the shoulder pad. We played board games, watched a movie, and then moved to the table to play cards. On his way over to the table, Jim leaned over to the floor and said, "Did someone lose a shoulder pad?" I was laughing so hard that I had to tell them where it came from. Now I use safety pins. —Gwen Myers, Columbus, Ohio So, the next time you're sitting in your chemo chair, lying on the radiation therapy table, or just getting ready to take a nap, don't forget to laugh!

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