Fran Drescher &The Cancer Schmancer Movement
Gracious…Kind…Funny…Humble…Inspiring…
These are some of the words that I would use to describe Fran Drescher.
I recently had the opportunity to sit down with this incredible Queens, New York-born powerhouse.
I was humbled to be able to determine for myself if the rumors about her personality were true.
The rumor is that she is a very warm and loving person.
I absolutely believe it to be true.
Fran Drescher is a rape victim, a divorcee, and a comedian. She is also an actress, a uterine cancer survivor, and a cancer prevention advocate.
She believes strongly that you must take the negative and turn it into a positive.
Sometimes the best gifts come in the ugliest packages.
Yes, she understands, all too well, how difficult this can be dependent on the extreme nature of the action that requires a reaction. She does it, and she does it beautifully.
Fran met her soul mate when they were both teenagers.
This boy would grow up to be writer and producer Peter Marc Jacobsen.
Fran and Peter went to high school together and created The Nanny together.
Peter and Fran Drescher were also brutally attacked together, were absolutely in love and eventually divorced after 21 years of marriage.
Many believe that they divorced because Peter is gay. That is not the truth.
Peter and Fran were mostly happy together, they enjoyed each other’s company and had similar goals. During their marriage, Peter felt that something was not quite aligned properly for him. However, he never thought that it had to do with the wife that he adored. After Fran, and her
After Fran, and her friend were brutally attacked in their home, and Peter forced to watch, it was Fran that realized that she needed space. Things were not quite right for her. They separated,
Peter was angry and moved to New York while Fran’s home base remained in Los Angeles, California.
During their time apart much happened.
Fran Drescher was confronted with the “C” word. Peter finally confronted his feelings towards the same sex.
In Fran’s case, she was diagnosed with stage 1 uterine cancer. This diagnosis took two years, 8 doctors, incorrect testing and countless misdiagnosis. It was only when Fran’s older sister, Nadine, insisted that Fran have
It was only in 2000 when Fran’s older sister, Nadine, insisted that Fran have an endometrial biopsy that the proper diagnosis was made.
Fran Drescher is not only a survivor but a survivor with a purpose.
She has taken this experience and coupled it with her comedic talent and fame. Out of this, she has created a movement known as “Cancer Schmancer“.
The Cancer Schmancer movement started with a book of the same title.
This book went through four drafts before it became a comedic look at Fran’s experience and what she considers the betrayal “by not only my own body but the medical community.”
By her own admission, the first draft was angry and bitter. After writing this book, Fran decided to go on a press tour.
However, prior to doing that she felt that she needed to see her ex-husband, Peter Marc Jacobsen.
She did not want him to learn of her plight through media. They had not been communicating since the separation and consequential divorce.
When Peter learned of what this woman, who he had spent the majority of his life with, was going through his anger disappeared.
All that was left behind was love.
During this discourse Peter also let Fran know that he was now dating men. From this point on a new relationship emerged and out of this relationship a fantastic series emerged.
This series is known as “Happily Divorced” and can be viewed on TV Land.
While on the book tour, Fran came to the realization that so many women had experienced the same difficulties with getting a proper diagnosis.
From this knowledge came a movement.
Fran has gone on to become a major advocate for early detection stating “If you catch it on arrival, 90% survival.” She strongly believes that “Stage 1 is the cure.”
Please visit www.cancerschmancer.org and Trash Cancer to learn more about what you can do to help yourself and to help others.
As well, watch for information on Fran’s youth-based program known as WTF: We The Future.
WTF: We The Future is a program designed to promote healthy living and cancer awareness specifically for youth.
9 thoughts on “Fran Drescher & The Cancer Schmancer Movement”
I have concern that if cancer is caught in an early stage, either the biopsy or the surgery to remove it can sometimes spread a cancer that may have been contained. And there are many people, I have met some personally, have cured their tumors and cancers through nutritional cleanses and other alternative treatments. I was expecting this article to focus on alternative treatments rather than an incorrect early diagnosis. But I do love her tenaciousness in getting herself well again.
Hi Eise..
Fran has always been an outspoken woman .. she has strength .. wonderful review.. thank you
She most definitely does.
Hi Dr. Elise,
What a great article on your interview of Fran Drescher. A very well known actress. Not familiar with the side of her life about her husband and what happened that was an attack. Probably don’t want to know either. I was interested in what she is doing now in regards to her ” cancerschmancer” organization. After writing her book “While on the book tour, Fran came to the realization that so many women had experienced the same difficulties with getting a proper diagnosis.” Great advocate for early diagnosis of all kinds of cancer. I saved several links from this article. Great job!
The details are pretty brutal. I chose to leave them out of this article as I did not feel that it added to the reason behind my desire to have a sit down and talk with Fran.
To go through all that and be willing to share it makes her an amazing person. Not that she wasn’t already! I always loved watching “The Nanny”.
I agree. She shares so much of herself. Open and giving are two words that I would definitely use to describe her.
Hi Dr. Elise,
Fran and Peter’s story is amazing and highly inspiring. It points out the fact that something positive can be made out of a negative circumstance. I admire the resilient spirit of both.
Thanks for sharing their story.
I completely agree. They are both admirable people.