Saranne Rothberg: Meeting Cancer Head-On with Humor

• Caryn-StarrGates / October 17, 2025

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the perfect time to shine our light on Saranne Rothberg, a 2003 Making a Difference Award Honoree. 

A stage IV triple negative breast cancer survivor, Saranne founded ComedyCures in 1999 after her cancer diagnosis. By then—after six years of misdiagnoses—Saranne’s cancer had become aggressive, and she eventually was told she had only a 1% chance of surviving. She spent that first weekend after diagnosis watching standup comedy tapes. As she put it, “It was better than staying home and crying all weekend.” 

While binging on those comedy performances, journalist Norman Cousins’ point about using laughter to heal hit home. “I realized he was right, that great things happen when you laugh.” 

Using Laughter as Cancer Medicine

Not willing to accept her prognosis and with a young daughter to raise, Saranne began her chemotherapy—and started thinking of how to make a difference for herself and others going through cancer treatment. 

She used her experience working for Dick Clark Productions to throw a “chemo comedy party” for the entire infusion center, with comedy, food and party favors. When she saw the positive impact the event had on patients and medical professionals alike, she realized her purpose in life was to disrupt cancer through humor.

“That was my epiphany to start the ComedyCures Foundation,” said Saranne, the nonprofit’s CEO. “My goal was to show that cancer doesn’t have to be as terrifying as we hear, by finding the funny, breaking down patient isolation, and forming community.” She set out to manifest her vision during treatments in the infusion suite. 

Witnessing the Real-time Effects of Comedy

At one of her live ComedyCures events, hundreds of people from all different socioeconomic levels, backgrounds, and circumstances become one cohesive group within the first 10 minutes. 

“The shift is palpable,” said Saranne. “Comedy breaks down barriers as attendees become joy-filled, hope-filled, laughing beings. The audience collectively releases pain, nausea, and stress as they unify through humor and unbridled laughter.”

Participants are led through warmup laughter exercises, and learn about the science behind laughter’s healing properties and how to use comic perspective as their superpower. When the entertainment starts, people are relaxed and want to be integral to the show. 

“They can’t wait to become part of the fabric of this experience in this safe space, a cocoon of hope, joy, and possibilities. They don’t want the camaraderie to end, and no one wants to leave!”

Published Studies Lead ComedyCures in New Directions

Saranne received grants to conduct two cancer survivorship studies that were an extension of her approach to promoting positive well-being in cancer patients through humor and developing one’s comic perspective. The Mindset in Metastatic Cancer Research Study was the first cancer survivorship project to incorporate AI; it launched in 2020 with participants in 24 U.S. states and elsewhere around the world. The second research project was The Cancer Health Coach Impact Study. Saranne and her fellow investigators used these studies to teach patients living with advanced cancer valuable tools and strategies to improve their quality of life by improving their mindset and general health, then tracking the measurable impact on each patient. 

With individualized care plans, and a short one-on-one virtual professional health coaching session each week, the investigators reported that “not one patient living with stage IV cancer was re-hospitalized, exited the research program, or passed away during the 8-week study. Overall, participants reported lower depression levels, reduced stress, anxiety and pain, and an increase in activity, quality of sleep, and self-empowerment. Her dedication to providing participants with a positive role model of survivorship through her own story, strategies, and through community was working.

The oncology world’s response to Saranne’s approach to survivorship has been that her insights and methods have created a new protocol in cancer care. 

Study participants proved hungry for ongoing support and asked her for daily teachings about living and thriving with cancer. Saranne formed a free monthly “Health Builders” meetup group on Zoom with co-investigator and functional medicine expert, Jacqui Bryan, RN. CNS, WHE, CHC and out of that, launched the “Beating Cancer Daily” podcast. Saranne committed to doing one episode a day for a full year—and now has over 395 original daily episodes that offer “methods, motivation, mentoring and a comic perspective when you need it most.” 

Her tenacity and much-needed content garnered worldwide attention and accolades. “Beating Cancer Daily” is a Top Ten Finalist for Best Health Series of 2025 in the People’s Choice Podcast Awards. It was rated among the Top 5 Best Podcasts for Patients in 2024 and 2025 by CancerCare News, and was named the Number 1 Cancer Survivor Podcast of 2024-2025 by FeedSpot. It also made it to the top one percent of podcasts globally because Saranne was one of the few podcasters to ever release 100 episodes in 100 consecutive days (she actually released many more daily episodes). You can read more about Saranne’s numerous collaborations, presentations, accomplishments, and recognitions here. 

Winner Against Cancer, Winning the Making A Difference Award

By 2001, Saranne was still not responding to her cancer treatment and there were no public research studies yet for triple negative breast cancer. She spent the next 18 months researching how to reboot and ignite her immune system and in July 2002, she was told there was no visible cancer detected. Her story of healing was included in the best-selling book, “Radical Remission.” Throughout the stresses of her treatments, she kept doing ComedyCures programs for others.

“I thought as long as I am on this Earth, I should be a model for my daughter that you always give back, always serve, lead with joy, and live fearlessly. It is important to awaken and celebrate each new day because at any moment, your miracle can happen.” 

When asked about being a Making a Difference Honoree in 2003, Saranne expressed gratitude for being celebrated among other people of service from New Jersey and raved about how much she has enjoyed getting to know other Honorees. She still sees some of them to this day and has collaborated with several on other nonprofit endeavors. PBS TV Host Steve Adubato, who met her at the 2003 ceremony, still wears a ComedyCures LIVE LOVE LAUGH bracelet she gave him over two decades ago, and she has appeared on his show periodically to update his audience on her organization’s work and her continued good health. 

She also points to the visibility the award has given the ComedyCures Foundation. 

“Donors, the media, and other nonprofits now know more about what we do and being an Honoree has helped us showcase our programs and work with other charities through a shared philosophy of uplifting lives.” 

Not one to rest on any laurels, Saranne has written a new book about wellness and longevity, scheduled for a 2026 release. A sought-after healthcare thought leader, patient advocate, and health and happiness expert (and soon, published author), Saranne lectures to major research organizations around the world and has been featured on various news programs. Read more about this relentless, humor-driven NJ Changemaker at www.comedycures.org. 

https://russberriemakingadifferenceaward.org/saranne-rothberg-meeting-cancer-head-on-with-humor/