Comedian Kathy Griffin, 62, ‘So Grateful’ To Be Back On Stage After 5 Years, Vocal Cord Surgery and Lung Cancer – Finding Gratitude Makes a Big Impact
Comedian Kathy Griffin, 62, made her triumphant return to the stage with her first big show in five years, after battling lung cancer and having surgery on her vocal cords.
Griffin was diagnosed with stage 1 lung cancer in 2021, and she said she is now cancer free after surgery.
Griffin was extremely thankful at her show. Gratitude is a mindset that helps people face adversity and builds resilience, according to experts we spoke to.
Gratitude means being thankful for what you have and showing appreciation for it. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, several studies have indicated that learning to live with gratitude can lead to more happiness and less stress.
One way to exercise gratitude is to take time to think about things you appreciate every day. One way to exercise gratitude in your life includes writing down those things in a journal.
Comedian Kathy Griffin, 62, was showered in applause as she made her long-awaited return to the comedy stage in five years – after bravely battling lung cancer and having vocal cord surgery to repair damage done during treatment.
"You guys I'm so f-ing grateful to this audience I still can't get over it my first live show in five years," Griffin wrote in an Instagram post.
Over the weekend, Griffin headlined the Center Stage comedy show in Las Vegas. She's been eagerly awaiting the show as it was her first live performance on such a grand scale since 2018.
"After an international political scandal and surviving lung cancer, I finally felt like I was home," the actress wrote.
Kathy Griffin (above on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’) debuted her new voice on Monday.
In 2021, Griffin was diagnosed with stage 1 lung cancer and underwent surgery, where she had half of her left lung removed. Although she revealed in December 2021 that she was "cancer-free," the lingering effects of surgery plagued the comedian.
Her voice was left distorted due to intubation during the surgery. She described her voice as sounding like "Minnie Mouse meets Marilyn Monroe."
While working to reclaim her voice, she also wrestled with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). She relied on close friends and family to help her overcome some of her mental health challenges.
She recently underwent vocal cord surgery to help restore her voice of old. She described herself as in "good shape" immediately after the procedure.
Griffin's journey reached a crescendo with her big show. The vibrant comedian delighted an auditorium full of supporters who cheered her for several minutes nonstop as she danced her way on stage.
"Here I am running out…you stood and cheered for nearly three minutes," Griffin said gratefully.
How Gratitude Can Change a Cancer Patient's Outlook on Life
Many cancer patients who bravely shared their stories with SurvivorNet often talk about how grateful they are for the people and things in their lives that make them happy.
Gratitude means being thankful for what you have and showing appreciation for it. It's a mindset that helps people going through tough times, and the experts SurvivorNet spoke with encourage cancer warriors and their loved ones to practice gratitude.
Dr. Zuri Murrell, a colorectal cancer surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, told SurvivorNet that his patients who live with gratitude tend to handle treatment better because this attitude is one way to stay mentally healthy.
WATCH: Finding gratitude and its impact on your well-being.
"The patients who do well with cancer, they live life with that kind of gratitude, but in terms of everything," he explained. "They're grateful, not for cancer, but they're grateful for an opportunity to know that life is finite."
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, several studies have indicated that learning to live with gratitude can lead to more happiness and less stress.
One way to exercise gratitude is to take time to think about things you appreciate every day. One way to exercise gratitude in your life includes writing down those things in a journal.
Questions to Ask Your Doctor
If you are in the middle of a cancer journey and are looking to improve your emotional health consider what you’re grateful for. To begin, ask yourself the following questions to kickstart your journey to achieve gratitude.
What can I do if I'm struggling to be thankful for what I have in my life?
Are there local resources for people wishing to improve their mental health?
What else can I do to help reduce my stress level during my cancer journey?
