"Full House" star Dave Coulier has opened up about his battle with stage 3 Non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
The 65-year-old actor shared his experience in an interview with People, telling the outlet that he was diagnosed in October after an upper respiratory infection caused major swelling in his lymph nodes, prompting his doctor to recommend scans and a biopsy. Three days later he received the life-changing news.
"I went from, I got a little bit of a head cold to I have cancer, and it was pretty overwhelming," he said. "This has been a really fast roller coaster ride of a journey."
Coulier started chemotherapy immediately as his wife Melissa, along with close friends in the medical field, worked to meet the diagnosis "head-on." He also shaved his head as a "preemptive strike," while opening up about his experience on his podcast "Full House Rewind" with Marla Sokoloff.
"I started the podcast wearing a hat, and I said, I've always been a man of many hats, but this hat has special significance because a couple of weeks ago, I was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma," he said of the debut episode where he revealed his diagnosis. "That was really a conscious decision of, I'm going to meet this head-on, and I want people to know it's my life. I'm not going to try and hide anything. I would rather talk about it and open the discussion and inspire people."
Reflecting on his current state, Coulier shared that he had "good days" and "bad days."
"Some days are nauseous and dizzy, and then there are other days where the steroids kick in, and I feel like I have a ton of energy," he said. "I actually skated yesterday with some friends here in Detroit. We just went and skated around and shot pucks, and it was wonderful just to be out there doing something that I love and just trying to stay focused on all the great stuff that I have in my life."
By sharing his story, Coulier added that he hopes to inspire others to get tested early.
"Take great care of yourself, because there's a lot to live for," he advised. "And if that means talking with your doctors or getting a mammogram or a breast exam or colonoscopy, it can really make a big change in your life."