Dave Coulier Tells ‘Full House’ Co-Stars About Cancer Diagnosis in Group Text (Exclusive)

Dave Coulier has his support Full house Family amid his cancer diagnosis.

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, the 65-year-old actor reveals that he first learned he had stage 3 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in October, when an upper respiratory infection caused severe swelling in his lymph nodes.

After undergoing further tests, the results brought him shocking news that has changed his life ever since.

“I got a bit of a cold and then got cancer and it was pretty overwhelming,” he says. “It was a really fast roller coaster ride.”

While Coulier had the support of his wife, Melissa Bring, and son, Luc, throughout his cancer journey, he also leaned on his Full house Co-stars.

Coulier tells PEOPLE that he first broke the news to his castmates in a group message, which included John Stamos, Candace Cameron Bure, Andrea Barber, Jodie Sweetin, Lori Loughlin, Scott Weinger and series creator Jeff Franklin.

“I didn’t want them to hear it from anyone else, so I sent a text message,” he says, noting that everyone’s reaction was “immediate.”

“It was just this statement: ‘I’ll be there.’ Just name the time and I know you’re in good hands with Mel, but what can we do? It’s truly overwhelming how much love we have for each other. We’ve been there for each other for so many years and that’s pretty remarkable.”

The last few years have been emotional for the cast, especially after the death of the series’ patriarch Bob Saget in January 2022, although Coulier notes that these difficult times made them appreciate their time together even more.

“I think we not only value our life together, but we value each other’s lives,” he says. “We appreciate the good times and the positive moments we were able to share. And I think that has an impact on other people, and it’s just positive. When I’m with this group of people, there’s not much negativity. It’s really just laughter and positivity and making us so appreciative of what we have in our lives and the people around us.”

He adds that Stamos, 61, comes to visit him during his chemotherapy treatment. “I can’t wait for him to visit us. I’m having chemotherapy on November 15th. “John will be here on November 16th,” he says, adding that Stamos is abandoning the itinerary for his visit to Coulier.

“He says, ‘If you just want to sleep I’ll just sit next to you, or if you want to listen to music or just talk, whatever.’ And I’m like, ‘Wow.’ That’s like a brother. This is really a brother.’”

Coulier continues to talk about his diagnosis Full House Rewind podcast, which he said was a sort of “video comfort food” as he watched his beloved show in its entirety for the first time.

“I never watched Full house” he admits, adding that watching each episode gave him a new appreciation for the series. “I understand it. I understand it. I understand why kids loved it so much, why families loved it so much, and why it has become so intergenerational. It really has wonderful elements for children and families.”

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For all of the series’ crucial lessons, one thing he took away from the series was the importance of treating people with “love and respect” and always doing your best.

“I didn’t understand it so much when we were actually filming the show because it was so intense to shoot 192 episodes, but I understand it now,” he adds. “I can actually be so much more objective when a son is going through family moments and raising a child. Everything just makes sense to me. Now I’m like, ‘Oh, now I see what was in the Kool-Aid.’ I get it.”