One in 42 — those are the chances a man will develop non-Hodgkin lymphoma during his life. It’s less than 2.4%. For “Full House” actor Dave Coulier, it’s now reality.
The TV star was diagnosed with stage 3 non-Hodgkin lymphoma in October, and says he’s been fighting back ever since.
“When I first got the news, I was stunned, of course, because I didn’t expect it, and then reality settled in and I found myself remarkably calm with whatever the outcome was going to be,” he told People.
It all started when the actor had an upper respiratory infection. Lymph nodes swollen to the size of a golf ball, Coulier sought medical help and his doctor advised PET and CT scans. The biopsy was next, then the diagnosis.
“Three days later, my doctors called me back and they said, ‘We wish we had better news for you, but you have non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and it’s called B cell and it’s very aggressive,’” he told People’s Kelsie Gibson.
According to the American Cancer Society, non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a cancer that begins in white blood cells — crucial parts of the body’s immune system. It’s one of the most common cancers in the United States, accounting for around 4% of all cases. The society estimated around 80,620 people will be diagnosed with the disease in 2024, and around 20,140 people will die from it.
While the risk of developing it increases over time, it’s also one of the most common cancers in children, teens and young adults. More than half of all cases are diagnosed at precisely Coulier’s age, 65.
“I went from, I got a little bit of a head cold to I have cancer, and it was pretty overwhelming,” he said. “This has been a really fast roller coaster ride of a journey.”
Two weeks after his diagnosis, Coulier started chemotherapy, an experience he later detailed on his podcast “Full House Rewind.”
Cancer is well-trodden territory for Coulier’s family. The actor lost his mother, sister and niece to breast cancer, and his sister Karen is currently battling the disease.
“I saw what those women in my family went through, and I thought to myself, ‘If I can be just 1/10th of a percent as strong as they were, then I’m going to be just fine,” he told People.
Now he’s facing his own cancer, one day at a time.
“I have my good days. I have my bad days,” Coulier said. “Some days are nauseous and dizzy, and then there’s other days where the steroids kick in, and I feel like I have a ton of energy. I actually skated yesterday with some friends here in Detroit. We just went and skated around and shot pucks, and it was wonderful just to be out there doing something that I love and just trying to stay focused on all the great stuff that I have in my life.”
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