'Full House' Star Dave Coulier Remains Resilient and Hopeful Amid Health Challenges

We all know Dave Coulier as the lovable goof Joey Gladstone from Full House and its spinoff, Fuller House, but there's much more to him than just his role as the fun-loving comedian on the classic sitcom.

Over the years, he's built a diverse career that spans stand-up comedy, voice acting, and hosting, leaving his mark on a variety of entertainment platforms.

In recent years, Dave has shifted his focus, taking a step back from acting to prioritize his podcast, Full House Rewind, which he launched in 2023.

The podcast offers a nostalgic, episode-by-episode rewatch of Full House, but in a recent episode — which dropped on Nov. 13, 2024 — Dave shared a personal and serious health update with his listeners. Here's what you need to know.

During the November 13 episode of the Full House Rewind podcast, Dave Coulier revealed some upsetting news: He's been diagnosed with stage 3 Non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

"It's a type of cancer, and this has all happened to be very quickly," he shared. "I'm already going through chemotherapy, so I thought, 'I'm going to make a decision here.' Rather than waiting for my hair to fall out, I would do a preemptive strike and cut my hair."

With that, Dave removed his hat, revealing his freshly shaved head, and joked that he now looked "a little bit like Mr. Woodchuck." He added with a smile that it seemed fitting since this is his "own personal battle."

As for why he chose to share this news on the podcast, Dave said that "cancer has affected nearly all of us."

He opened up about the losses he's experienced, including the death of his sister Sharon, who passed away at just 36 years old during the 1991-92 season of Full House. He also lost his niece Shannon to breast cancer at the age of 29, followed by the loss of his mother to the same disease a few years later.

"I saw what they went through, and if I can be even half as strong as they were during their battles, I'm going to put up a pretty good fight."

Before changing the topic, Dave encouraged his listeners to prioritize their health and get checked out by their doctors sooner rather than later.

On November 13, Dave Coulier spoke further about his cancer diagnosis during an appearance on The Today Show. He shared that he first noticed symptoms in October 2024, when he came down with a cold.

In the past, he'd experienced swelling in his lymph nodes when he was sick, usually in his neck or armpits. But this time, he was taken aback when he discovered a golf ball-sized lump in his groin just five days after falling sick.

Concerned, Dave's doctors conducted scans and a biopsy, which led to the diagnosis of B-cell lymphoma, a "very aggressive" type of cancer. Dave described receiving the news as a "gut punch."

However, his doctors also checked his bone marrow to determine the cancer's stage, and he received some positive news: The cancer had not spread.

"At that point, the curability rate went up to 90-plus percent," Dave explained. "So, it's very treatable."

Since the diagnosis, Dave has undergone three surgeries and completed one round of chemotherapy, with another scheduled for Friday, November 15. He expects his treatment to wrap up by February, at which point he hopes to be in "total remission."

"Fingers crossed," he said. "I'm treating this as a journey."

Dave also used this opportunity to encourage all viewers to prioritize early screenings, saying, "If I can help someone who's watching today get an early screening — a breast exam, a colonoscopy, a prostate exam — go do it because, for me, early detection meant everything."