Breast cancer survivors are turning pain into purpose at Comedy in Harlem

Cancer is not the easiest thing to talk about, but some breast cancer survivors say laughter can make it a little easier.

"Although it is serious, if we can laugh about it, we can talk about it," said stand-up comic Meshelle "the Indie-Mom of Comedy" Foreman. "[Comedy] has healed me, and I believe there are so many women who can benefit from having it shared with them in a lighter way and not making it so heavy."

Foreman has been telling jokes on stages across the U.S. since the 1990s but was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021. Her first thought was about not being there to see her children grow up, but Foreman says an early diagnosis saved her life. 

"I have had, in the last five years, the most courageous comedy, because I realized that it makes no sense for me not to share my story," Foreman said.

Foreman can often be seen making audiences laugh at Comedy In Harlem, which held a comedy show for Breast Cancer Awareness in October where 10% of the proceeds go toward breast cancer research and awareness. 

Local comics say humor can be both a creative outlet for the performer and a way to connect with others.

"Onstage, I talk about how a mammogram saved my life. I talk about how weird and uncomfortable it is. I talk about the medicine of laughter," said Foreman.

Comedy In Harlem first opened in 2021 in East Harlem by comic and actress Nicky Sunshine and her husband, Jaime Roberts, who spent years producing shows at places like Broadway Comedy Club. 

The duo had noticed an absence of comedy clubs in upper Manhattan. They also felt that they and fellow performers of color were not receiving opportunities in other neighborhoods known for comedy around NYC. 

The space now operates directly above the 147th Street exit at the 145th Street subway station on St. Nicholas Avenue in West Harlem. Harlemites are just as likely to attend a grassroots community meeting at the cellar as they are a live show.

"We knew so many funny friends that weren't getting enough stage time downtown. ... We're about putting people on stage, but also amplifying community voices and really amplifying the needs of the community," said co-owner Nicky Sunshine. "For example, one of the first and most successful regular shows that we do is Ladies Night."

Now cancer-free, Foreman encourages other women to share their stories. From motherhood to breast cancer, she recalls writing jokes while pumping breastmilk, then later while recovering from the disease.

"There are so many women who don't get the opportunity to live their dreams, to do what they've been sent here to do, and there are systems in place to make you feel some kind of way about pursuing your goals and your dreams, and having the audacity to be somebody's wife and mother, and then being a working artist," said Foreman.

They say you never know who in the audience might be laughing to keep from crying.

"Maybe [Meshelle's] narrative or her jokes will help somebody else who's going through a similar experience. That's what [stand-up] is about: just making that connection and really kind of touching humanity with our personal narratives," said Sunshine.

The American Cancer Society reports that 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. Early detection can save lives, especially for Black women, who are more likely to die from the disease.

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