Just as negative emotions can affect your chances of surviving cancer, all the positives you allow yourself to feel every day can be just as powerful for your continued good health. That, and a few good jokes...

Nothing illustrates this point better than the ongoing story of Linda Hill, a single mother of seven, who has fought cancer virtually her entire adult life. Linda may be missing a few body parts -- both breasts, her thyroid and colon are gone, along with 70 polyps, thanks to cancer -- but she's never lost her wicked smart sense of humor, fueling an unparalleled tenacity for life and hysterical line of cancer-themed T-shirts and related products.

Rather than choosing to hunker down for the fight of her life -- Linda's grudge match with cancer has lasted nearly three decades -- this Bountiful, Utah, native laughs in the face of cancer with pithy sayings like Of course, they're fake... The real ones tried to kill me, Stupid Ideas 101: 1. Run with scissors 2. Play with matches 3. Skip the Colonoscopy and I lost my colon, But I'm still full of CRAP! on t-shirts and an assortment of ancillary products she sells in local stores and on her Web site.

If you still doubt what strong emotions can do for your health, a recent University of Kansas study demonstrated how positive feelings are linked to better health, even in situations where basic needs weren't adequately met.

NPR December 15, 2009

Salt Lake Tribune November 4, 2009