Tig Notaro and Breast Cancer

Posted on by Louis CK

A message from Louis CK: Tig is a friend of mine and she is very funny.  I love her voice on stage.   One night I was performing at a club in LA called Largo.  Tig was there.   She was about to go on stage.   I hadn’t seen Tig in about a year and I said how are you?   She replied “well I found out today that I have cancer in both breasts and that it has likely spread to my lymph nodes.  My doctor says it looks real bad. “. She wasn’t kidding.  I said “uh.  Jesus.  Tig.  Well. Do you… Have your family… Helping?”. She said “well my mom was with me but a few weeks ago she fell down, hit her head and she died”.  She still wasn’t kidding.

Now, I’m pretty stupid to begin with, and I sure didn’t know what to say now.  I opened my mouth and this came out.  “Jeez, Tig.   I.   Really value you.  Highly.”.  She said “I value you highly too, Louie.”.  Then she held up a wad of note-paper in her hand and said “I’m gonna talk about all of it on stage now.  It’s probably going [...] continue the story

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The Tom Green Show – Cancer Special: Part 1

Posted on by Tom Green

In March of 2000, unconventional MTV personality and Comedian Tom Green was diagnosed with testicular cancer. On May 23, 2000, MTV aired a one-hour special episode of the Tom Green Show. The special followed Tom through his treatment and included graphic footage of the surgical procedure during which doctors removed Tom’s right testicle. Tom uses humor to educate!

 

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The Tom Green Show – Cancer Special: Part 2

Posted on by The Tom Green Show

In March of 2000, unconventional MTV personality and Comedian Tom Green was diagnosed with testicular cancer. On May 23, 2000, MTV aired a one-hour special episode of the Tom Green Show. The special followed Tom through his treatment and included graphic footage of the surgical procedure during which doctors removed Tom’s right testicle. Tom uses humor to educate!

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Brian Grant’s Perspective

Posted on by Powering Forward

Brian Grant was diagnosed with young onset Parkinson’s in 2008 at the age of 36. He’s a father of six children and a 12-year veteran of the NBA. At the time of his diagnosis, Brian reached out to other Parkinson’s patients, caregivers and medical professionals for advice on how to power forward with the disease. Like you, Brian continues to ask questions, pursue answers and learn about his disease.

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How Patrick Swayze died: Why we should care

Posted on by Barron H. Lerner

By Barron H. Lerner, MD

When I finished my book on famous patients, the most common question I received was “Are the stories of sick celebrities really relevant to other patients?” My answer was that yes, with some caveats, these experiences are well-worth knowing.

The same can be said for the story of Patrick Swayze’s terminal pancreatic cancer, which has now been told by his widow, actress Lisa Niemi Swayze, in a new book, “Worth Fighting For: Love, Loss and Moving Forward.” Patrick Swayze, a dancer and actor best known for his roles in the films “Dirty Dancing” and “Ghost,” was diagnosed in January 2008 and died of the disease in September 2009 at the age of 57. He was originally told he would live only a few months.

First, the caveats. Like most celebrities, Swayze had the means, as his wife says, to “think outside the box.” He enrolled in a clinical trial at Stanford University, traveling regularly to Palo Alto from Los Angeles for experimental chemotherapy. Swayze also was a VIP patient, getting first-class attention from top doctors and hospital staffs. Most patients experience greater hurdles.

Nor should pancreatic cancer patients who read “Worth Fighting For” assume that they, like Swayze, can [...] continue the story

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