Mayim Bialik's Breakdown Vanessa Bayer & Jonah Bayer: Transcendental Meditation & Confronting Cancer with Humor
Sep 19, 2023
Vanessa Bayer, SNL alum and cancer survivor, discusses using humor to cope with her diagnosis, her time on SNL, and her transcendental meditation practice. Her brother Jonah Bayer, a writer and podcaster, talks about his studies in mental health counseling and his own battle with leukemia. They talk about their love of Blossom, their working relationship, and the difficulties of mental health treatment.
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Vanessa's Leukemia Journey
- Vanessa Bayer was diagnosed with leukemia at age 15 and underwent intense chemo treatment.
- She used humor to cope and help friends feel at ease during her illness.
Facing Fear With Reassurance
- Vanessa rarely contemplated death during her illness, except once when scared while waiting for a scan.
- Her mother's firm reassurance helped her regain optimism and calm.
Make-A-Wish and Jared Leto
- Vanessa's Make-A-Wish trip was to Hawaii, though she initially wanted to meet Jared Leto.
- Later, she met Jared Leto at the MTV Video Awards, making the experience special.