Fran Drescher is best known for her iconic portrayal of Fran Fine in the television series, The Nanny, but the most challenging role in her life was not captured on film. After two years, eight doctors and several misdiagnoses, Drescher was diagnosed with uterine cancer. She survived the disease and wrote a book about her experience entitled, Cancer Schmancer, in 2002 and began a movement with the same name.

It [the Cancer Schmancer movement] has given me a purpose I would not have otherwise had. I feel like I had cancer to help heal," explains Drescher. "95% of cancer is environmental and we have control of what we bring into our homes, what we eat, and personal items. We can reduce the risk of cancer ourselves by educating ourselves to make healthier choices."

"Right now, babies are born with toxins in their umbilical cord. We’re creating our own demise. We cannot continue to live this way. We have to question everything and start making better choices for ourselves and our future," explains Drescher. "We’re going to look back at this as the dark ages."

With her new role on TV Land’s Happily Divorced, Drescher is a very busy woman but she emphasizes balance in her life and places her health at the top of her priority list. She sticks to a diet consisting of whole and organic foods, eating only organic fruits and vegetables along with wild fish, reduced animal proteins and greens. In addition, Drescher drinks high alkaline water, steering clear of plastic bottles, and she checks her pH and does her best to keep it balanced.

Drescher also maintains a healthy home, steering clear of toxins and making sure that all cleaning products are eco-friendly and biodegradable.

"Spirituality is a very big part of my overall health and connecting with the creator through meditation," says Drescher. "Make sure to take the time to enjoy each day. Find a rest period through meditation, art, music or whatever you can do to bring peace is critical."

"You don’t have to be perfect," encourages Drescher. "You don’t have to do everything all at once. Nothing is perfect. No one is perfect. Every healthy choice that you make, you are reducing your risk of cancer. It is a combination of everything together."

When asked how she would compare herself to the "old" Fran, Drescher responded, "I am much more aware of handling my stress levels, keeping life manageable and not compromising myself. I never get aggravated and I have a hyper awareness but try to offset it with other things. It’s all a balancing act."

Unlike the characters she’s played on television, Drescher could care less about retail therapy. "I’m not a shopper at all," she confesses. "All of my characters are. I like magazines and I pull out pages of things I like. I rarely go shopping. It’s not my thing at all."

The idea behind Happily Divorced came from Drescher and she produces the show. "I love that it is based on my real relationship. A lot of the feelings that my character goes through were real things that I went through," explains Drescher. "The global message is ‘love is love.’ I believe in civil liberty—that everyone has the right to live an authentic life and love unconditionally. There are a lot of really great people in traditional relationships. This show offers a fresh perspective of love between two different people."

 

Happily Divorced airs Wednesdays at 10:30 p.m. on TV Land. For additional information and resources about cancer prevention, visit CancerSchmancer.org. For information about Trash Cancer, visit CancerSchmancer.org/Trash-Cancer-Party.