Dave Coulier’s Wife Melissa Coulier Shares His Cancer Treatment Is Getting “More Difficult”

Dave Coulier’s wife Melissa Coulier shared an update on how the Full House alum is faring amid his chemotherapy treatment for Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

By Hayley Santaflorentina Jan 24, 2025 5:20 PMTags
Watch: Dave Coulier Shuts Down “Negative Comments” About John Stamos’ Support Amid His Cancer Battle

Dave Coulier’s loved ones are sharing an update.

Two months after the Full House alum shared his diagnosis with stage 3 Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a type of blood cancer, his wife Melissa Coulier is sharing insight into how he is managing amid treatment.

"He has some really tough days,” she told WXYZ Detroit Jan. 22. “And as the chemo has been accumulating it gets a little tougher and more difficult.”

But despite the challenges, Melissa says her husband has maintained his sense of humor and joy.

"He has such a positive attitude, and you need that in order to really fight it,” she continued. “Every morning, if he's feeling up for it, we try to put on a song and do a little dance party with the dogs, because when you do feel good, you have to celebrate that too.”

Melissa also spoke to where she thinks her husband of over ten years draws his strength from.

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"I think it's just innately in him,” she continued. “He has had a lot of loss in his life when it comes to having to deal with cancer. He lost his mother, his sister, his niece. His other sister had it.”

She added, "I think for him, he takes every stride and really pulls strength from seeing the women that were so close in his life to powering through it, and he just wants to honor them.”

Tara Ziemba/Getty Images

For his part, Dave has also been candid in the ways his chemotherapy treatment has had its ups and downs.

“It's been kind of a roller coaster ride. Different effects,” he told his cohost Marla Sokoloff on the Jan. 10 episode of their Full House Rewind podcast. “The side effects have side effects and then you take a drug to counteract that and this and that.”

The 65-year-old continued, “So it's this constant cocktail where your body is in fight or flight mode, and you're just trying to adjust to, like, ‘Okay, how am I adjusting to steroids? How am I adjusting to the chemo cocktail? And then, how am I adjusting to all these other things?’”

But one of the things Dave says has been the most encouraging has been hearing from others who have navigated cancer.

(Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images)

“I have heard from so many people, Marla, who have been affected by cancer in their lives,” he told his cohost. “And, you know, the words of encouragement have, I think, really helped people.”

The comedian also spoke to part of the reason he’s sharing so much with the world.

“If I have to feel a little out of sorts for a few months, then, then so be it,” Dave explained. “But just being able to alert people that it's okay to get a colonoscopy or early screenings or a mammogram, it's really worth it.”

For more celebrities who have shared their experiences with cancer, keep reading.

Colin Egglesfield

The All My Children alum announced in January 2025 that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer, his third cancer diagnosis throughout his life.

Despite the devastating news, he announced (for the third time) in February 2025 he was cancer-free following successful surgery and treatments.

“Remember, you’re not defined by any of your challenges," he wrote in his February 2025 Instagram update. "You’re grander than it all. I’m not my fear, my anxiousness or my scars but I embrace it all because the only way to transform it is to own it.”

Gerry Turner

The former Golden Bachelor star shared in Dec. 2024 that he had been diagnosed with Waldenström's macroglobulinemia, a bone cancer.

"Unfortunately, there's no cure for it,” Gerry noted to People at the time. “So that weighs heavily in every decision I make. It was like 10 tons of concrete were just dropped on me. And I was a bit in denial for a while, I didn't want to admit to it.”

Jim Beaver

The actor, known for roles in The Boys and Supernatural, shared on Feb. 3, 2023, that he had battled prostate cancer for years and was cancer free.

Ariana Madix

"I had to have a lil bit o'cancer removed from my body and lymph nodes biopsied," the Vanderpump Rules star revealed to fans at the close of 2018. "(In the clear now!)"

Marcia Cross

The Desperate Housewives star revealed to fans in September 2018 that she survived anal cancer. "After posting a picture of myself here and uttering the words #cancer and #hairloss, I feel liberated, deliriously free and completely me," she shared on Instagram

Dustin Hoffman

The two-time Oscar winner underwent successful treatment for cancer, and his rep confirmed to E! News that doctors deemed Hoffman "surgically cured."

Hugh Jackman

The X-Men star was treated for his third basal cell carcinoma back in 2014, and after his third treatment, Jackman's rep told E! News that he's "all good" now.

In April 2023, Hugh had two biopsies for additional basal cell carcinoma. At the time, he told fans, "If I can just take this opportunity to remind you summer is coming for those of us in the northern hemisphere, please wear sunscreen."

Camille Grammer

The former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star celebrated one year of being cancer-free in January. The mother of two was diagnosed with endometrial cancer back in 2013 and underwent a radical hysterectomy.

Then in 2017, Camille had surgery to remove Squamous Cell Carcinoma, a type of skin cancer. 

Gordon Ramsay

Alongside a pair of photos that show a line of stitches running from the bottom of his ear to his jaw, which he later covered with a bandage, the British celebrity chef shared that he underwent a procedure to treat skin cancer.

“Grateful and so appreciative for the incredible team at The Skin Associates and their fast reactive work on removing this Basal Cell Carcinoma,” Gordon wrote on Instagram August 2025. “Please don’t forget your sunscreen this weekend.”

“I promise you it’s not a face lift,” he added. “I’d need a refund…”

Cobie Smulders

The Avengers: Age of Ultron actress battled ovarian cancer at the age of 25 and overcome odds when she welcomed two children with husband Taran Killam.

Dr. Drew Pinsky

TV host reveals he underwent surgery for prostate cancer in July 2013 and has since been given a clean bill of health.

Brooke Burke

The Dancing with the Stars cohost underwent successful surgery for thyroid cancer. The mother of four tweeted, "Thx for all the twitter love. I'm [home] recovering & resting."

Angie Everhart

"MY DR CALLED ME ON A SAT. MORNING TO TELL ME I AM CANCER FREE!!!!! #wootothemotherf--kinhoo," the actress tweeted after receiving the good news.

Christina Applegate

The Up All Night star was declared "100-percent clear" of breast cancer after treatment and a double mastectomy.

Michael C. Hall

The Dexter star used a hiatus from his hit series to slay Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Michelle Monaghan

The Australian actress revealed in October 2011 that she had a cancerous mole removed from her calf after her hubby encouraged her to get the suspicious-looking mark checked out.

Ewan McGregor

The Scot is trainspotting just fine these days after having a cancerous mole removed from beneath his right eye.

Sheryl Crow

The singer beat breast cancer in 2004 with a "minimally invasive" lumpectomy and radiation therapy.

Michael Douglas

The Oscar winner declared in early 2011 that his tumor was gone and he had throat cancer "beat."

Edie Falco

The Emmy winner whacked breast cancer in 2004.

Anderson Cooper

Surely the CNN veteran wears his SPF when he's braving the elements now after having a cancerous growth removed from under his left eye in 2008.

Kylie Minogue

The Australian pop star underwent successful surgery for breast cancer in 2005.

Barry Watson

The 7th Heaven star was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease when he was only 28. He's 50 now and looking good!

Maura Tierney

The ER fave had to abandon her role in Parenthood to fight breast cancer in 2009—but her treatment was a success and she was back on the red carpet in no time.

Sharon Osbourne

The America's Got Talent judge was diagnosed with colon cancer while shooting The Osbournes in 2002 and used the opportunity to stress the importance of regular screenings while attacking the #@%! with chemotherapy. She was declared cancer-free the following year.

Robert De Niro

The Oscar winner took prostate cancer down, down to Chinatown, in 2003, and has been in about 400 movies since then.

Robin Roberts

The Good Morning America cohost proudly flaunted her smooth scalp while undergoing chemotherapy to treat breast cancer in 2007.

Lance Armstrong

The champion cyclist battled back from stage-four testicular cancer before winning seven straight Tour de France titles.

Melissa Etheridge

The Grammy and Oscar winner became an inspiring activist after a lumpectomy and chemotherapy cleared her of breast cancer in 2005.

Julia Sweeney

The former Saturday Night Live standout mined her breast cancer battle for comedic material that turned into God Said Ha!, her successful one-woman show that eventually went to Broadway.

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