Remembering Bob Ross
- It’s been 26 years since we lost Bob Ross, the quirky and iconic face of PBS’ The Joy of Painting, to lymphoma (a type of blood cancer).
- Lymphoma is broken down into two categories: Hodgkin Lymphoma and non-Hodgkin Lymphoma; the main difference between the two is that Hodgkin lymphoma has distinctive, giant cells called Reed-Sternberg cells.
- Cancer survivors have told SurvivorNet that turning to art served as a powerful tool to help them cope with cancer treatment and the emotions they were experiencing.
Ross marked himself as a memorable personality through his television show The Joy of Painting, which ran on PBS from 1983 to 1994. In addition to wowing audiences with picturesque landscapes, he’d often use the show to share some personal advice for any of those going through tough times. His commentary landed him the nickname “The King of Chill,” and people still today tune into the show to relax with the help of Ross’ comments and soothing demeanor. Not only that, but his signature hair and eccentric clothing made him stand out on a television screen to say the least.
Read More"His message is timeless. The message of having self-confidence, of trying new things that doesn't get old," Jessica Jenkins, the curator of the "Bob Ross Experience," at Muncie, Indiana's Minnetrista museum told CBS Sunday Morning. "And because of that, I think that it just continues to resonate for generation after generation … Even though Bob's not here, he's still been able to put that idea in someone's head."
Lymphoma: What To Know
Lymphoma is a type of blood cancer that’s quite different than other forms of cancers. It starts when lymphocytes develop a genetic mutation that makes them multiply much faster than usual. The mutation also makes older cells that would normally die stay alive. The quickly multiplying lymphocytes start to collect and build up in your lymph nodes, the small glands in your neck, armpits, and other parts of your body.
One of the main differences of lymphoma compared to other cancers is that it comes in two main categories: Hodgkin Lymphoma and non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. The main difference between the two is that Hodgkin lymphoma has distinctive, giant cells called Reed-Sternberg cells. The presence of these cells, which can be seen under a microscope, will help your doctor determine which of the two lymphoma types you have. So, if these cells are not present then that points to non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. It’s unclear what type of lymphoma Ross battled with.
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is more common, and people are more likely to be diagnosed with it after age 55. The disease is more likely to spread in a random fashion and be found in different groups of lymph nodes in the body.
Dr. Elise Chong explains how lymphoma is broken down into categories
The Power of Art Therapy During Cancer
While facing a cancer battle, many survivors have told us that turning to art therapy was a helpful resource that helped them cope with the roller-coaster of emotions they were experiencing as well as side-effects from treatment.
This was the case for artist Marianne Cuozzo, who struggled emotionally after dealing with multiple different cancer battles. Marianne was first diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma in 1994 at age 28. In 1997 she had a recurrence, and in 2014 she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She had a double mastectomy for treatment, and used painting as a way to express all the emotions she felt.
"I'd go in the studio, and I had these huge pieces of charcoal and I would do these really angry charcoal drawings, and I'd roll them up and stuff them under the couch," Marianne previously told SurvivorNet. "No one was meant to see them because it was just for me and, my cathartic getting out my anger. My artwork is very reflective of my cancer journey."
Artist Marianne Cuozzo used painting as a way to cope with her three separate cancer battles
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