‘Full House’ alum Dave Coulier reveals cancer diagnosis: ‘My own personal battle’

“Full House” alum Dave Coulier announced on the newest episode of his “Full House Rewind” podcast that he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

“I have often worn many hats in my life and career, and today I wear this hat for a different reason,” he said at the top of episode November 13. “A few weeks ago I was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Mhm, big surprise, it’s a form of cancer.”

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a type of cancer that forms in the lymphatic system, part of the immune system that helps protect the body from infection and disease, according to National Cancer Institute.

Coulier said “it’s all happened for me very quickly” and revealed he is already undergoing chemotherapy and made the decision to shave his head as a “preemptive strike” rather than wait for his hair to fall out .

“This is my own personal struggle. So why talk about this on ‘Full House Rewind’?” he said. “Well, because cancer has affected almost all of us.”

Coulier went on to share how the women in his life he’s lost to cancer — his sister, his niece and his mother — have inspired him to fight the disease.

“I saw what they went through and if I can be even half as strong as they were during their matches, I’ll put up a pretty good fight,” he said.

Coulier also encouraged his fans to get screened by the necessary means — mammograms, prostate exams and colonoscopies — to catch cancer early.

“Early detection can mean all the difference in the world,” he said. “And if my encouragement can get you checked out by your doctor sooner rather than later and possibly help even just one of you, well, this little journey that I’m on will be worth it because there’s a lot of things to live for, so many things to look forward to.”

In an interview with PeopleCoulier said he was diagnosed with Stage 3 non-Hodgkin lymphoma after experiencing an upper respiratory infection back in October that caused severe and rapid swelling of his lymph nodes, with one growing to the size of a golf ball. He underwent PET and CT scans, as well as a biopsy, which confirmed his diagnosis.

“I went from ‘I got a bit of a cold’ to ‘I have cancer’ and it was quite overwhelming,” he told the paper. “This has been a really fast rollercoaster of a journey.”

Coulier told People that he supported his wife, Melissa Bring, as well as his son Luc, who is expecting his first child with his wife next year. He also said his sister Karen is fighting cancer alongside him.

“Good Morning America” ​​has reached out to Coulier for further comment.