These outstanding individuals contribute to Rx Laughter in creative and inspiring ways. We are deeply grateful to each of them for their dedication, perseverance and entrepreneurial spirit.

(Alphabetical):

Joy Bhosai became an intern for Rx Laughter during her Junior Year at Pomona College. During this time, she created a comprehensive analysis of significant Humor and Positive Emotion Research for Rx Laughter. After graduation, Joy was honored with a year long Fulbright Scholarship, choosing to do research at The Mahavajiralongkorn Cancer Center in Thailand, a division of the National Cancer Institute. While there, Joy also designed and implemented a research collaboration for Rx Laughter regarding the benefits of humor therapy during cancer treatments. Joy is finalizing an analysis of the findings from this research project for publication by Rx Laughter in mid 2007 (See Research for more information). Joy is currently a Masters candidate at the Yale University School of Public Health.

Saki Miwa:
Saki is completing her Masters In Public Health studies at the Yale University School of Public Health, with a concentration in Chronic Disease Epidemiology.

Saki is the volunteer Statistical Analyst for our research collaboration with the National Cancer Institute in Thailand: In this role, Saki looked for differences between the humor therapy and control group (the non-humor therapy group), closely examining the statistical findings regarding the effects that the humor therapy had on the patients. Saki worked closely with Joy Bhosai (above) to interpret the results of these statistical tests and write up these findings for our Rx Laughter/NCI Summary of Findings Pamphlet.

For her Master's Thesis at Yale, Saki is analyzing a study that assessed the effects of genetic counseling on women with non invasive breast cancer. Saki will graduate with a Masters in Public Health from Yale University in May, 2007.

Suzanne Raga, a Los Angeles high school student, learned about Rx Laughter through her volunteer work at the UCLA Brain Mapping Institute. Suzanne created the Charlie Chaplin gift card for Rx Laughter. Click here to see card. Suzanne volunteers for the Rx Laughter Channel at the Pediatric Hematology Oncology Division at the Mattel Children's Hospital @UCLA as time permits. Suzanne begins her undergraduate studies at Princeton University in the Fall of 2007, where she hopes to continue to volunteer for Rx Laughter in various ways.

Josh Van Zak:
As a child, Josh performed comedy routines for patients awaiting their therapy sessions with his psychologist Dad. Now a high school student in Los Angeles, stand up comedy remains his passion: In 2006, Josh contacted Rx Laughter with a desire to spearhead a fundraiser at a local comedy club for us. With his guidance, Rx Laughter held it's first Improvisational Comedy workshop in the Summer of 2006 in collaboration with ComedySportzLA and the National Theatre Organization.

Josh's academic achievements include a selection to the National Spanish Honors Society, the Mu Alpha Theta Mathematics Honors Society, the California Scholarship Federation, and the Principal's Honor Roll. He performs at LA's Second City in the Teen Improv and Teen Sketch troops. Josh continues to spearhead fundraising efforts for Rx Laughter at Los Angeles comedy clubs.