Lymphoma Survivor Discusses the Importance of Finding Humor in Cancer

Four-time non-Hodgkin lymphoma survivor Shell Rowe knows very well about the importance of finding the lighthearted side of an otherwise serious situation.

“There is a reason that that saying exists, that laughter is the best medicine, and I absolutely believe it, because I always think that cancer is 50% a mental battle and 50% a physical one. And if you don't have the mental strength, it can really take a toll on your physical health,” Rowe said in an interview with CURE.

Rowe, who first received her diagnosis in 2019 at the age of 20, found a sizable following online — including more than 79 million likes and 977,000 followers on TikTok – thanks to her humorous shorts about life with cancer.

She will be four years cancer-free in February following a 2022 stem cell transplant, and she recently sat down for an interview with CURE.

Transcript

How important was it for you to find the lighthearted or funny side of things in what is otherwise a very heavy time?

There is a reason that that saying exists, that laughter is the best medicine, and I absolutely believe it, because I always think that cancer is 50% a mental battle and 50% a physical one. And if you don't have the mental strength, it can really take a toll on your physical health. I found in my personal experience, on days where I'm feeling really pessimistic and negative and depressed, I would physically feel more tired, more sick, I'd feel more pain when I was getting a needle put in and things like that. On days where I was thinking, “Right, how can I find this situation funny? How can I make a video that kind of distracts me? How can I keep my mental health up while my body is enduring this?” I would feel so much better.

There's a real psychology behind it. I've looked into studies because I had some things, certain treatments or procedures done that were exactly the same, six months apart, when I was in two totally different headspaces and the impacts and the way that I felt pain was so different that I was just fascinated by how it's like there's tangible evidence there, for me, of the impact that your mental attitude has. I know that people will feel differently about that, and I can only speak for myself, but yeah, it's so, so important.

Transcript has been edited for clarity and conciseness.

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