(CNN) -- Fans of "Dancing With the Stars" know how grueling the competition can be. 

Contestants practice for hours a day, and almost every season some celebs are brought low by injury. So how in the world will Valerie Harper, who just months ago announced that she had a terminal form of cancer, go for that mirror ball trophy? 

Apparently with the same spirit that caused the "Rhoda" actress to offer this up for fans: 

"I hope you dance! I hope you dance," Harper told CNN on Wednesday. " And that's what I'm saying to everybody, that's just my message. Dance." 

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Harper announced in March that she had been diagnosed with leptomeningeal carcinomatosis, a condition in which cancer cells spread into the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord. But Harper told CNN that she does not have brain cancer. 

"I have lung cancer," she said. "It is situated in the lining of the brain; it's not even in the brain." 

Her husband, Tony Cacciotti, encouraged her to sign on with the hit ABC dance competition, she said. He runs the couple's production company and had been considering her participation for a few years. 

The actress said she initially resisted the idea. 

"I said, 'Give me one good reason,' " Harper recalled. "He said, 'You have cancer! Get up there, and show people that you can dance and do -- and the doctors said it's fine to exercise. Encourage people to move, to exercise, to do all the things that will be good for them, and mainly not to sit in the house and glower and worry and feel sorry for yourself because you have this disease and anything else.'" 
Who is competing on a show?
On which show?
What disease does Harper have?
What object could she win?
Does she have brain cancer?
What kind then?
Who is she married to?
Did he discourage her?
What network is the show on?
What is his occupation?
What show was she known for?
Is it an easy contest?
Who interviewed her?
When?
When did she announce she had cancer?
What month?
Did the doctors clear her to participate?
Was she excited to do it at first?
How long to participants practice?
Are people injured?
Valerie Harper
Valerie Harper
Dancing With the Stars
Dancing With the Stars
leptomeningeal carcinomatosis
leptomeningeal carcinomatosis
mirror ball trophy
mirror ball trophy
No
not have brain cancer.
lung cancer,
lung cancer,
Tony Cacciotti
Tony Cacciotti
No
encouraged her
ABC
ABC 
He runs the couple's production company
He runs the couple's production company 
Rhoda
Rhoda
No
grueling
CNN
CNN
Wednesday.
Wednesday.
just months ago
 just months ago
March
March
Yes
doctors said it's fine to exercise
No
she initially resisted
hours a day
hours a day
Yes
every season some celebs are brought low by injury