By Raquel Wildes

Doesn't it feel great to laugh? Well, tomorrow, January 24th, is Global Belly Laugh Day, so get ready to get silly, Auntie!

For a guaranteed belly-panging laugh, I spoke to Saranne Rothberg, founder/CEO, The ComedyCures Foundation, a 501(c)3 organization that brings joy, laughter, and therapeutic humor programs to kids and grown-ups living with illness, depression, trauma and disabilities.

In 1999, Saranne was diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer. No laughing matter, right?

But she was determined to beat the disease.

She remembered reading Norman Cousins, the pioneer in therapeutic humor, and found inspiration in his writings, teachings, and his wellness theories. She soon realized that not only did laughing make her feel better, but that there was also a direct correlation between the effects of humor and positive thinking on her stress and anxiety level.

So she did what any other young mother, aunt, or godmother would do.

She promised herself and her daughter that each day they would be certain to share laughter with one another, no matter how bad Saranne felt. This allowed them to refocus her illness from something scary and awful, to something fun and adventuresome.

Realizing the benefits of this routine, she decided to launch ComedyCures from her chemo chair.

Now, she starts each day with a bellyaching laugh, and hopes to invigorate everyone else’s day with the recommended 100 laughs.

So on January 24th, of all days, make sure to smile.

You and your niece or nephew can create and exchange personalized joke books, become "humor buddies” and make an appointment to laugh with each other, or get together to watch a funny movie or read a funny book.

So today, and all days, remember to put on a smile and share the gift of laughter. Call up your niece and nephew, and tell them a silly joke (it will surely make you smile as well).

Published: January 23, 2012