Daniel Jernazian is a two-time cancer survivor, surviving Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2003 and beating thyroid cancer in 2021. 

Daniel Jernazian

Survivors can find strength after cancer by focusing on goals, loved ones, and spiritual connection, especially during challenging or uncertain times.

Finding Strength and Purpose After Cancer Through Goals and Faith

Daniel Jernazian knows what it means to face life after cancer. Diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma as a teenager and later with thyroid cancer, he says staying focused on small wins helped him stay positive through even the hardest days. For young people in particular, he stresses the importance of keeping sight of personal goals and finding strength in how far they’ve already come.

Reflecting on his own experience, he encourages others to embrace anything that brings purpose, whether it’s future plans, past accomplishments, or support from loved ones.

He also points to faith and spiritual connection as powerful but often overlooked sources of resilience. “It doesn’t matter what religion; just having that higher connection gives you a quiet strength,” he says. “You’ve got to bring together everything good in your life and let that move you forward.”

Jernazian has appeared on national media including, “The Today Show,” and collaborated with sports icons like Andrew Gaze to raise awareness for children with critical illness. In 2025, he released his memoir, “I Made Cancer Cry Twice.”

What advice would you offer about finding strength and purpose after cancer, especially for a younger individual?

You have to find and hold onto everything positive that you can, no matter how small it is. Focus on the wins. Of course, most of the time you’ll have bad days and struggles, whether it’s day-to-day life, work, another diagnosis, or something else, but it’s about focusing on the positive. Think about how far you’ve come, what you’ve achieved, and what you still want to do. Goals are very important.

Hopefully, you have family and peer support — that’s very important. Another thing that often gets overlooked is faith. I think that’s quite important. It doesn’t matter what religion you believe in. Just having that connection to a higher power can give you strength. That spiritual strength is a very silent strength, and a lot of people overlook it. I’m a big advocate for it.

I don’t think there’s one single thing you can point to: it’s really about being dynamic and pulling together everything in your life that’s positive and strong. Use that to motivate yourself and push through anything. I really believe that’s key.

Transcript has been edited for clarity and conciseness.

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Daniel Jernazian, who beat cancer twice, credits his sports mindset for survival and calls it winning his ‘life World Championship’.

A Cancer Survivor Calls Beating the Disease a ‘World Championship’

After surviving Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2003, Daniel Jernazian turned his experience into a mission of hope, serving as a Make-A-Wish Australia ambassador from 2003 to 2015 and becoming the organization’s first commemorated Young Ambassador in 2010. He made history in 2005 as the only Australian wish recipient to meet basketball legend Michael Jordan and later volunteered alongside Shane Heal and Brett Brown to support Australia’s national basketball team during the 2010 FIBA tournament.

A two-time cancer survivor — having also overcome thyroid cancer in 2021 — Jernazian credits his sports mentality for shaping his resilience.

“Basketball was everything to me growing up,” he said. “I call beating cancer a ‘life World Championship.’ For me, I’m a two-time life World Champion.”

You've worked alongside sports legends and raised significant awareness for children with critical illness. How did your passion for sports play a role in your survivorship?

I was always into sports, especially as a kid. Basketball was one of the main sports I played all the time, along with others at school. Over time, I played for different teams—mostly basketball. I think having that sports mentality of not giving up, being competitive, and saying to yourself, “I’m not going to give up, I’m not going to lose,” really helps. Just like in sports — you can be down by 20 points, 50 points, or just one — it doesn’t matter. It’s about having the mindset that you can get through it.

You’re going to do your best, and of course, having a great support system like your family helps. In the dynamic of a team, you’ve got your teammates — your friends — and you’re all battling together. It’s that mindset that you’re all in it together. You’re your own army if you have to be, and you’re going to go through everything, no matter what, and not give up.

I think it’s that competitive drive. It’s just like winning a championship. I actually call beating cancer a “life World Championship” — that’s what I call it, a life world title. For me, I feel like I’m a two-time life World Champion. That’s how I see it. It’s really about not giving up and seeing yourself as a champion.

For more news on cancer updates, research and education,

Daniel Jernazian

Finding Strength and Purpose After Cancer Through Goals and Faith

A Cancer Survivor Calls Beating the Disease a ‘World Championship’

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