Cancer Is A Joke: The Power of Humor & Community

What happens when you bring together three women who have faced cancer and believe there is still room for laughter, joy, and connection along the way? In this episode of The Cancer Project Podcast, host David Raubach sits down with Elissa Kalver, Giulia Rozzi, and Julia Johns to talk about the power of humor during some of life’s most difficult moments. Each woman brings her own experience with cancer, comedy, and the cancer community to a conversation that is as heartfelt as it is funny. The three guests are part of the team behind Cancer Is A Joke, a stand-up comedy event in Los Angeles, California, that brings comedians and the cancer community together for a good cause. The event is a fundraiser for We Got This, a nonprofit made for cancer survivors by survivors. Through comedy, the event creates space for people affected by cancer to come together, laugh, and find moments of joy while supporting programs that help the cancer community. As the guests explain, Cancer Is A Joke is about more than putting on a comedy show. It is about making sure people navigating cancer have access to experiences that allow them to feel connected, supported, and included. Throughout the conversation, Elissa, Giulia, and Julia share why humor can be such a meaningful coping tool, how dark humor can help people process the realities of cancer, and why it is important to meet people wherever they are in their journeys. They also discuss the friendships and community that have grown out of their shared experiences, the importance of hearing directly from people who have lived through cancer, and the need to make room for joy alongside the seriousness of a diagnosis. This episode is a thoughtful and often hilarious look at what it means to live with cancer, not simply get through it. Because while cancer is undeniably serious, the people experiencing it deserve opportunities to laugh, connect, and enjoy life along the way. Join Elissa Kalver, Giulia Rozzi, and Julia Johns for a conversation about finding humor in unexpected places and turning laughter into something that gives back. Episode Resources: Cancer Is A Joke https://wegotthis.org/pages/cancer-is-a-joke Oklahoma Proton Center https://www.okcproton.com/ https://www.instagram.com/okprotoncenter/ https://www.facebook.com/OKProtonCenter The Cancer Project Podcast https://www.instagram.com/the_cancerproject https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581844363126 https://www.tiktok.com/@protonguy