Enjoying Life After Cancer
- After beating tonsil cancer, Canadian actor and Hallmark star John Reardon, 49, is putting together a YouTube channel and series with his actress wife Meghan Ory, 42.
- After cancer and other health challenges, experts suggest working on their mental health with positive psychology. Positive psychology focuses on encouraging patients to feel positive and finding what brings a sense of vitality to their lives. According to psychiatrist Dr. Samantha Boardman, the three wellsprings of vitality are connecting with others, contribution, or adding value to the lives of others, and feeling challenged.
- Experts recommend anyone facing cancer should make sure they continue to prioritize their overall well-being and do the things that they love. It can help fuel a positive attitude.
- Tonsil cancer is a form of oropharyngeal cancer that occurs when the cells that make up the tonsils grow out of control and form lesions or tumors. Oropharyngeal cancer is a cancer oropharynx the middle portion of the throat (pharynx), beginning at the back of the mouth which includes the base of the tongue, the tonsils and the soft palate.
- Tonsil cancer is becoming increasingly common in the United States. It is often caused by past infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV).
- HPV is spread through sexual contact and is extremely common in Western society, according to Dr. Jessica Geiger, a medical oncologist at Cleveland Clinic Cancer Center. The majority of people with HPV will not get cancer, but “for about 6 to 7 percent of the population, the virus remains dormant in our body, and can ultimately cause changes that form cancer.”
The show will feature the loving couple’s “new venture” of renovating their 120-year-old house. Reardon and Ory, who share three children together, said this new show was put into place as they “wanted to do something that could hopefully bring some laughs and joy into your homes, after you brought so much joy into ours.”
Read MoreReardon captioned his most recent Instagram post, announcing his new YouTube channel, “Ever since I was a kid I’ve wanted to tell stories. I’ve played a lot of different characters in my career – people who know what they are doing but I’m not sure that is always the case with me personally.View this post on Instagram
“So in the spirit of this @officialmeghanory and I started our YouTube channel @iplayoneontvtv we’ve always wanted a place where we can create some of our own stories and hopefully people will enjoy.”
He continued, “Our first project was an easy choice. We are renovating an old house that we fell in love with. We have a great team of people including @guffthompson at @rootdevelopments helping us turn the place into our home. The rub is renovating old homes comes with surprises – and we are keen to get the know the house from the ground up and be a part of the renovation.
“Just FYI you will not learn to renovate your house by watching us. We do not know what we are doing! But you will however meet people who do it very well! We’d love if you can check it out. The link is above in my instagram bio. Lots more to come.”
View this post on Instagram
John Reardon’s Cancer Journey
Reardon wrote about his cancer journey in a 2024 Christmas Eve post, “Last night was my first night out after my recovery from tonsil cancer. Has been a long road between these two pictures and the difference is from the love and support I received from my people in my life. My amazing partner @officialmeghanory for taking on our whole world to help me get better.”
View this post on Instagram
He continued, “My brave kids who inspired me. My Dad who took me for a walk everyday even when it was hard for me to get out of bed – and I’m sure hard for him to see his son in pain. My Mom @ocean__cottage who made me soups and ginger honey tea and green juices so I could get calories into my body. My sister and brother @dr_laura_reardon @marcreardon81 who helped with the kids and the challenges of life when I couldn’t.
“All my in-laws, who are not just in-laws they are family, who brought food and cookies and talked through challenges with us. Our nanny, our neighbors and everyone who sent food or love and support or messages and kind words and also all the amazing doctors, nurses, technicians, hospital workers, psychologists you are all my heroes and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
“Kindness is an under appreciated quality in people. We should never under value it. Celebrate it and distribute it as much as possible. It is free and life changing. Happy Holidays,” Reardon concluded.
More On HPV-Related Cancers
- Get the Facts: What Do We Know About HPV-Linked Throat Cancer?
- A Reminder About HPV-Linked Cancers From Survivor & ‘Desperate Housewives’ Actress Marcia Cross
- Cancer Doctor Explains Why Her Young Kids Are Getting the HPV Vaccine
- ‘Controversial’ HPV Vaccine Shown to be Highly Effective in Wiping Out Cervical Cancer
- Don’t be Swayed by Myths: The HPV Vaccine is Completely Safe
Then on February 5, he shared that he beat tonsil cancer, sharing a video clip on Instagram, and writing alongside it, “I am happy to say though that I am cancer free and have been cleared to go back to work in full capacity!
“Feeling strong and very appreciative. I am overwhelmed by the response I’ve had from fans around the world saying how important the show [Hudson & Rex] is to them and the well wishes.”
View this post on Instagram
Understanding Tonsil Cancer
Tonsil cancer is a form of oropharyngeal cancer that occurs when the cells that make up the tonsils grow out of control and form lesions or tumors. Oropharyngeal cancer is a cancer oropharynx the middle portion of the throat (pharynx), beginning at the back of the mouth which includes the base of the tongue, the tonsils and the soft palate.
The most common symptom of tonsil cancer is an enlarged tonsil, according to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
If both tonsils are swollen or enlarged, the problem is less likely to be tonsil cancer, but you should still bring up the change to your health with your doctor.
Other tonsil cancer symptoms include:
- hoarseness
- a lump in the neck or throat
- a persistent sore throat
- difficulty swallowing
- ear or jaw pain
Tonsil cancer is becoming increasingly common in the United States. It is often caused by past infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV).
Understanding Head and Neck Cancer
Tonsil cancer falls under the umbrella of the general classification term head and neck cancer.
According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), head and neck cancer is “a broad term encompassing a number of different malignant tumors that develop in or around the throat, larynx, nose, sinuses and mouth. Oral cancer is the most common type of head and neck cancer.
Artist Michael Rees shares unique outlook on facing throat cancer
The two main risk factors for this group of diseases include the following:
- Tobacco use. This is the single largest risk factor for head and neck cancer with researchers estimating that 70 to 80 percent of head and neck cancers being linked to tobacco use. Also worthy of note is that secondhand smoke may increase a person’s risk of developing head and neck cancer.
- Alcohol use. Using alcohol and tobacco together increases your risk even more.
“Head and neck cancer patients, we know that tobacco smoking is a risk but also heavy alcohol use,” Dr. Jessica Geiger, a medical oncologist specializing in head and neck cancer at Cleveland Clinic, previously told SurvivorNet.
“So, drinking more than two or three drinks if you’re a man per day, in addition to smoking. Smoking and alcohol are sort of additive carcinogens. Especially in cancer of the larynx or the voice box, we know that drinking heavily, heavy alcohol use, is just as important of a risk factor as tobacco smoking is.”
The Connection Between Head & Neck Cancers and HPV
It’s much more common to know someone who has a head or neck cancer now-a-days than it was several decades ago. And that’s because of its strong connection to HPV, the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States.
“From the 1980s to the 2010s, the rate of HPV-related head and neck cancers has gone up by 300 percent,” Dr. Ted Teknos, a head and neck cancer specialist, and president and scientific director of University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center in Cleveland, Ohio, told SurvivorNet during a previous interview.
“That is entirely due to the HPV infection, in the throats of patients who have been exposed to HPV. So there is no myth … HPV causes throat cancer and it’s a sexually transmitted disease. And it’s something that is an epidemic in the United States.”
Understanding HPV and Cancer Risk
Meanwhile, Dr. Allen Ho, a head and neck surgeon at Cedars-Sinai, says the vast majority of humans in the United States — both men and women — will eventually get infected with HPV.
Dr. Ho explained, “The important thing to know about HPV is that there are many different strains, and only a couple of them tend to be more cancer-inducing.
“Probably less than 1 percent of the population who get infected happen to have the cancer-causing virus that somehow their immune system fails to clear, and over 15 to 20 years it develops from a viral infection into a tumor, and a cancer.”
It’s unclear whether HPV alone is enough to trigger the changes in your cells that lead to throat or mouth cancer, or whether this happens in combination with other risk factors like smoking. Of course, some people who develop throat or mouth cancers have no known risk factors for the condition. Genetics can play a role in this cancer, too.
Why the HPV Vaccine is so Important in Preventing Cancer
The HPV Vaccine
Oral and throat cancers are unique in that they’re usually preventable with the HPV vaccine. And that’s why those eligible should get vaccinated against HPV, SurvivorNet experts say.
The vaccine is typically given to children before they are sexually active, as HPV is transmitted through sexual contact.
And contrary to some detrimental misinformation circulated online, the HPV vaccine is entirely safe.
There are virtually no side effects with this vaccine, Dr. Jonathan Berek, director of the Women’s Cancer Center at Stanford Medical Center, previously told SurvivorNet.
It is “incredibly safe,” he insisted. “It’s as safe as any vaccine has ever been. It’s highly-effective. It’s highly-predictive.”
Dr. Berek continued, “Some people say they’re concerned about it because they’re — they’ve called it a sex vaccine, that somehow it’s gonna encourage people to be sexually active. First of all, that’s not true. It’s, it’s an anti-cancer vaccine. And second of all, there are no data to support that contention.
“There are absolutely none. So it’s really based on fear, misinformation, disinformation … it’s not based on science or data. The science is very clear. It’s a highly-effective, safe vaccine, and should be promoted. And in those countries now where it has been promoted, we’re starting to see substantial reductions in the precancerous and early cancers of the cervix.”
HPV is responsible for 34,800 cases of cancer in the U.S. each year, but 90% of them can be prevented thanks to the HPV vaccine Gardasil.
Thriving After Cancer: Finding Vitality and the ‘Pathway’ to Resilience
Psychiatrist Dr. Samantha Boardman suggests that people working on their mental health practice positive psychology. Positive psychology focuses on encouraging patients to feel positive and finding what brings a sense of vitality to their lives, like how Reardon is now focusing on his new YouTube channel with his wife.
Dr. Boardman explains them as “pathways to embrace your everyday resilience.” In other words, these are tools people who may be struggling with mental health issues can embrace to help maintain a certain sense of positivity. And those positive feelings can go a long way when people are facing a health challenge like a cancer diagnosis.
According to Dr. Boardman, these three wellsprings of vitality are:
- Connecting. This involves how you’re connecting with others and having meaningful interactions. It involves being a good listener and being engaged with the people around you who you care about.
- Contribution. How are you adding value to the people around you? Are you helping them in ways that feel meaningful to them? This entails contributing/engaging with others in a meaningful way.
- Feeling challenged. Being “positively challenged” could involve learning something new (perhaps by taking a new class or reading an interesting book) and expanding your mind in some way.
“Those are the cores of vitality and the core pathways to enhance your everyday resilience,” Dr. Boardman said.
Finding Joy During & After Cancer
When faced with a cancer battle, whether you’re an adult or a child, it can be difficult to focus on life outside of your disease. However, it’s important to remember that your mental state can actually impact your success as a patient.
“I’m pretty good at telling what kind of patients are going to still have this attitude and probably going to live the longest, even with bad, bad disease,” Dr. Zuri Murrell, a colorectal surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, previously told SurvivorNet. “And those are patients who, they have gratitude in life.”
Dr. Dana Chase, a gynecologic oncologist at Arizona Oncology, also advocates for cancer warriors to prioritize their mental health. She noted that emotional well-being has been studied as a factor in patient outcomes.
“We know from good studies that emotional health is associated with survival, meaning better quality of life is associated with better outcomes,” Dr. Chase told SurvivorNet in an earlier interview.
“So, working on your emotional health, your physical well-being, your social environment [and] your emotional well-being are important and can impact your survival. If that’s related to what activities you do that bring you joy, then you should try to do more of those activities.”
According to Dr. Chase says doing things that bring you joy is important, and there’s no right or wrong ways to do so. Paying attention to your emotional health could look like spending time with friends and dancing. Others might turn to painting, writing, watching movies, or playing sports.
Dr. Chase recommends writing down ten things that make you happy and intentionally making the time to do those activities throughout the day.
What Still Brings You Joy? Your Emotional Health is So Important to Living with Ovarian Cancer
“Sometimes I will talk to a patient about making [a] list of the top ten things that bring them joy,” Chase says. “And trying to do those ten things, to make at least 50 percent of their experiences positive throughout the day.”
“Sometimes I will talk to a patient about making [a] list of the top ten things that bring them joy,” she continues. “And trying to do those ten things, to make at least 50 percent of their experiences positive throughout the day.”
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
