A Whirlwind of Media Attention
- Richard Simmons, 75, the eccentric fitness guru of the 1980s, has experienced a whirlwind of attention — and criticism — after posting a cryptic post about his health and says he did not mean to do any harm. Additionally, he revealed his skin cancer diagnosis he shared about occurred many years ago and he is perfectly healthy.
- Making headlines again on Wednesday, the Sweatin’ to the Oldies workout star has also learned that someone he doesn’t know is making a film about his life story without his involvement, and Simmons is asking fans to wait for his version.
- At SurvivorNet, we believe that taking care of mental health is as critically important as any kind of healthcare. For those who may be struggling, you can check out SurvivorNet’s full mental health guide HERE.
On Wednesday, Simmons made headlines once again after expressing his dismay about a biopic film getting made about his life (by someone who doesn’t know him) and stars comedian Pauly Shore, 56.
Pauly Shore, whose mother founded the world famous Comedy Store on Sunset in West Hollywood, has similar looks to Simmons, with curly hair and an eccentric, silly demeanor.
The Sweatin’ to the Oldies workout video star also revealed last month that he beat skin cancer and took the opportunity to encourage people to go get their skin checked, especially if they discover any suspicious spots. Again, fans went wild thinking it was recent, but it was many years ago.
“I have had a tremendous amount of responses on my message regarding skin cancer,” Simmons wrote in another Facebook post. “It happened so many years ago. The reason I wrote these two messages is that if you see a spot on your body please go to your doctor …so they can diagnose it right away.”
Good Intentions
“I guess I should be more careful about what I write about,” he admitted, though it appears to be a win-win and is getting people to pay attention.
“I know some of you reading this have had cancer or have known someone in your life who has had cancer,” he said in an updated post. “Promise me you will see your doctor and get a complete check up.”
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Simmons had a basal cell carcinoma — a common and typically less aggressive type of skin cancer — on his face and the doctor was able to remove all the cancer cells, but it took three trips to do so.
Sending His Fans Into a Frenzy
Simmons’ skin cancer story comes shortly after Simmons shared a worrying post telling his fans “Please don’t be sad. I am ….dying.” However, he ultimately revealed that the post, in which he stated, “Oh I can see your faces now. The truth is we all are dying. Every day we live we are getting closer to our death,” was shared simply to urge his followers to live life to the fullest.
Prior to his diagnosis reveal, he wrote on Facebook and Twitter, “Sorry many of you have gotten upset about my message today. Even the press has gotten in touch with me. I am not dying.
“It was a message about saying how we should embrace every day that we have. Sorry for this confusion. Love, Richard.”
Checking in with Your Mental Health — The Stress of Going Viral
When someone’s story or message goes viral, it can often be stressful, especially if the message was misconstrued and unintentional — or reaches millions more people than planned!
We have to remember that each person online is a human being with their own thoughts and feelings. And for someone like Simmons who has typically brought positivity and joy to the masses in simpler times, it can understandably be more overwhelming, and now he has learned that someone else is going to capitalize on his life story.
RELATED: SurvivorNetTV Presents: Maintaining a Positive Headspace
No matter what may be going in your life, in honor of Simmons, let’s remember how important exercise is to combat those stressful days. Powering off devices even for an hour or so can also help you decompress. Meditation can be helpful to tune out any negative thoughts and help you refocus.
Dr. Brian Berman, director of the Center for Integrative Medicine at University of Maryland, shared a guided meditation with SurvivorNet.
A Guided Meditation for the SurvivorNet Community
Ideally, Dr. Berman recommends using this relaxation technique once or twice a day or for 10 to 15 minutes a day in order to really begin experiencing the benefits that come from meditation.
At SurvivorNet, we believe that taking care of mental health is as critically important as any kind of healthcare. We’ve consulted top doctors in the field to offer important resources for those who may be struggling with their mental health and seeking treatment or solutions. You can check out SurvivorNet’s full mental health guide HERE.
Learning More About Simmons’ Skin Cancer Type
Continuing Simmons’ message of raising awareness about skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma, or BCC, is the most common form of skin cancer.
It develops when basal cells, one of three main types of cells in the top layer of the skin, grow abnormally or uncontrollably. In the United States, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation, an estimated 3.6 million cases of BCC are diagnosed each year.
BCC is unique because it tends to grow slowly. This means it generally causes minimal damage and is usually curable when caught and treated early. Still, untreated BCC lesions can grow and become disfiguring and dangerous.
“Untreated BCCs can become locally invasive, grow wide and deep into the skin and destroy skin, tissue and bone,” the Skin Cancer Foundation website says. “The longer you wait to get treatment, the more likely it is that the BCC will recur, sometimes repeatedly.
“There are some highly unusual, aggressive cases when BCC spreads to other parts of the body. In even rarer instances, this type of BCC can become life-threatening.”
Be sure to schedule an appointment with your dermatologist to scan your body for any concerning irregularities — and be diligent about follow-ups.
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