Austrian celebrity chef Johann Lafer (68) speaks in a new interview about his cancer diagnosis and the support from those around him. Celebrity friends also reached out to him and offered help. In addition, Lafer provides insights into his current treatment.
After his cancer diagnosis became public, Lafer received a lot of encouragement - and not only in the comments of an Instagram post, in which the 68-year-old reported on his illness. Numerous users, including celebrities like his fellow chefs Ralf Zacherl and Nelson Müller, host Ruth Moschner, and rapper Marteria reached out there to wish him a speedy recovery.
Günther Jauch and Joko Winterscheidt offered help
Lafer also received personal messages from well-known companions beyond Instagram. In a conversation with the "Bild" newspaper, he says: "Günther Jauch, Johannes B. Kerner, Marcel Reif, Joko Winterscheidt - they all wrote from the beginning and said: 'Johann, if you need anything, we'll help you.'" This support from those around him moved him deeply. "There were people I hadn't heard from in 30 years. People I once worked with or who now live in California", he says. The fact that these people suddenly reached out shows him "that I'm still present".
Johann Lafer works selectively to distract himself
The fact that he is currently working selectively despite the illness is good for him, Lafer explains further. It distracts him "from the essential problem". The more time you have, the more you think about things. But he's not throwing himself into work: "I've cancelled everything that's not important." For instance, a birthday party where he didn't feel up to attending. The treatment is physically demanding: "Right now I'm a bit worn down because the chemo is very exhausting."
Lafer, who is also known from various cooking shows on German TV, made his illness public at the end of May. He explained on Instagram that he had been diagnosed with an "indolent, i.e. low-grade and non-aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma". For him and his family, this was "initially a great shock", but all the more grateful are they all "that the treatment is working well and the situation is developing positively". He emphasized that he was doing well under the circumstances. Lafer already noted that he was happy to be able to continue working: "The exchange with colleagues, cooking and encounters with people give me a lot of strength, confidence and joy."
"Bild" Lafer also explained at the end of May that the lymph node cancer had been discovered by chance about two and a half years ago. After several lymph nodes were removed, the diagnosis was confirmed. At the beginning of this year, his condition deteriorated significantly and Lafer began chemotherapy.
