Laugh to Help, Laugh for Your Health!

A man walks into a doctor’s office and says … Okay, that’s not usually how the joke starts, but maybe it should be. Research from the Mayo Clinic supports the idea that laughter offers multiple health benefits from stress and pain relief to improved mood and more. Some area high school students who believe in its power have organized “Laughing for A Cure,” a comedy show to generate laughs and funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Valley View High School seniors Meadow DeFazio and Chaz Kaszuba and Lakeland High School junior Jules Grier were nominated to be part of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) Student Visionary of the Year (SVoY) fundraising challenge. SVoY is a seven-week campaign in which high school students from across the nation rally together to raise funds and awareness for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

The students who have named themselves “Team Blood Bond,” will generate funds during the campaign by hosting events such as “Laughing for A Cure,” a ladies’ comedy night on Saturday, January 13 at 6:30PM at E’s Health Wellness and Fitness Studio, 500 Mill St., Dunmore that will include a bake sale and basket raffle.

DeFazio says she is proud to be part of this fundraising and educational campaign because over the last 10 years the FDA has approved 39 new cancer fighting drugs, 19 of which were initially developed to treat blood cancers, and many had received funding from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.? She added, “I decided to run for SVoY in honor of all the people, both young and old, who battle cancer every day. By raising money to support new treatments, we get to offer hope.”

Grier has a more personal reason for being part of Team Blood Bond. She says, “I am doing this in honor of my 10-year-old sister who was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia when she was age 3. Watching her go through treatment for two and a half years has made me want to help other families going through the same things our family did.”

According to the CDC’s State Cancer Profiles site, Age-Adjusted Incidence Rates by Cancer Site, All Stages (2016-2020), Pennsylvania’s incidence of Leukemia was 14.8 compared to the U.S. rate of 13.9 and the rate of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma in the State is 19.8 compared to the U.S. rate of 18.6.

Scranton comedian and show producer Jeannine Luby (also known as Funny Wine Girl) says she did not hesitate to get on board when she heard about the project. “When a friend told me about what the students were doing, I was thrilled to help by producing a comedy show that area women would enjoy while supporting the fundraising efforts of these dynamic young people.” Luby added, “I believe wholeheartedly that this event benefits not only the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, but every person who attends because laughter offers healthy, healing benefits for our bodies, minds, and spirit. At a time when everything feels so heavy, we need to experience something light.”

Tickets are available to attend Laughing for A Cure Ladies Comedy Night for $30 and can be purchased online on Team Blood Bond’s Facebook page or at FunnyWineGirl.com.

Another fundraising event, A Paint Night, will be held on January 27. Follow Team Blood Bond on Facebook for full details. And if you would like to donate to this campaign or learn more, please contact team member Meadow DeFazio by phone at 570-468-6030?or email at: [email protected].