By William Laferriere
A few years back my girlfriend was diagnosed with Breast Cancer at the tender age of 34. I went into overdrive and performed my due diligence as a Caregiver. I purchased a TV (we hadn’t owned one for years). Now you may be asking yourself - What?
All of my research indicated that laughter could play a significant role in the healing process, and that improved health and wellness in general, could be considerably enhanced by laughter. Ergo, the TV.

Understandably, it’s quite difficult to find positivity and levity in a breast cancer diagnosis, but I felt then, and still strongly believe, that comedic relief and positivity should play an indispensable role in one’s treatment. In this blog we publish links and argue in support for the positive medicinal qualities of laughter.
A recent study by the Mayo Clinic found the following: “Whether you're guffawing at a sitcom on TV or quietly giggling at a newspaper cartoon, laughing does you good. Laughter is a great form of stress relief, and that's no joke.” A good sense of humor can't cure all ailments, but data is mounting about the positive things laughter can do.
Short-term benefits include organ stimulation, endorphin release, cools down the stress response and actually can decrease your heart rate and blood pressure. Long-term effects include an improvement to your immune system (positive thoughts can actually release neuropeptides that help fight stress and potentially more- serious illnesses), relieve pain and increase personal satisfaction.
Humor lightens your burdens, inspires hope, connects you to others, and keeps you grounded, focused, and alert. It also helps you release anger and forgive sooner. With so much power to heal and renew, the ability to laugh easily and frequently is a tremendous resource for surmounting problems, enhancing your relationships, and supporting both physical and emotional health.
By seeking out more opportunities for humor and laughter, you can improve your emotional health, strengthen your relationships, find greater happiness—and possibly add years to your life.
Laughter is the Best Medicine - And laughter really is contagious—just hearing laughter primes your brain and readies you to smile and join in the fun. The link between laughter and mental health. Laughter stops distressing emotions. You can’t feel anxious, angry, or sad when you’re laughing. Laughter helps you relax and recharge.