How this man used comedy to navigate his wife’s cancer journey

There’s the old saying; laughter is the best medicine.

And sometimes all you can do is laugh through tough times.

That’s what Okanagan stand-up comic Jordan Strauss and his wife Chelsea did. She was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a cancer that starts in the bones, on March 25, 2022 - one month before their wedding day.

The journey was tough.

Her immune system was wiped out, they were in a COVID-style lockdown for a year, and she had major surgery on her leg.

Jordan undoubtedly sees his wife as an inspiration, even though it was tough to deal with on some days.

“The strength that can come out of someone when they’re going through something like that when they have to step up to the plate for their own life and loved ones,” he told Kelowna10.

During her treatment, Jordan took notes on what made them laugh, and by the end, he had enough material to create a comedy album. The Funny Thing About Cancer was released on the one year anniversary of the diagnosis.

“I tried to make sure I was making her the focus and honouring what she’s gone through,” he said. “Sometimes, all you can do is laugh. Otherwise, you’re just going to be consumed with the despair of the situation.

“Everybody’s journey with cancer is different, some people don’t have a happy ending like we have. For me and my wife, we relied on our humor to get us through. Everyday can be a heavy day when you’re going through these things.”

Today, Chelsea’s latest scans are clear, and she continues to go for regular check-ups.

Jordan hopes his album can help others find the same strength and resilience he and his wife did.

“I was thinking about how some people don’t get [a lot of community support] and how lonely that must be to go through that,” he explained. “I figured maybe something like this, [listening to] someone else that’s gone through it, telling the story not in a somber way but in a lighthearted funny way, could help people feel less alone going through this,” he explained.

The album is available online at a pay-what-you-can rate. Twenty per cent of all proceeds are going to bone cancer research foundations.