Fabled Mavericks frontman Raul Malo has delivered a somber update to his followers, revealing that his cancer battle has worsened since his diagnosis last year.
At 60 years old, Malo has frequently been hospitalized while undergoing treatment for stage 4 colon cancer. Although this diagnosis was once considered terminal, it is now deemed treatable; however, the American Cancer Society notes that the survival rate for someone of Malo’s age is around 13%.
On Wednesday, the Grammy-winning artist shared the distressing news that he has developed leptomeningeal disease, a condition that arises when cancer cells infiltrate the leptomeninges, the delicate membrane that separates the brain from the spinal cord. Patients diagnosed with this condition are often given a prognosis of less than a year to live.
While strumming his guitar, Malo conveyed to his followers that he has found peace in his situation and is preparing for the end of his life.
“Things have taken a turn. As it goes with cancer, it’s a very unpredictable and indiscriminatory disease,” he wrote to his 26,000 Instagram followers.
“I’ve developed something called LMD, which stands for ‘get this s*** out of my head,’” he explained. Treatment for leptomeningeal disease typically involves high doses of radiation.
“Treatment for this is radiation, which I will start tomorrow. We will probably jump into some chemo, and are even looking at alternative therapies,” he stated.
“But it’s time to take your words to heart of resting and recovering, so that’s what I’m going to do.”
Malo’s band has been compelled to cancel several performances due to his health struggles, but following Wednesday’s announcement, he confirmed that “all shows going forward” are now off the table.
“We’ll continue doing cool projects, releasing live recordings, merchandise, Trovador, and so forth,” he added.
Malo expressed gratitude to Dwight Yoakam and his team for their kindness and understanding throughout this year, apologizing for not completing the tour as planned.
However, Nashville fans might still have a surprise in store, as Malo encouraged them to “hold on” to their tickets for two scheduled shows on December 5 and 6, hinting at a special announcement soon.
“We don’t know what this will look like a couple months from now, but we are going into it like we have with everything else – full steam ahead,” Malo remarked.
“Fight, recover, rest, repeat. I want to thank you all for your incredible support through all this, and sorry about the cancellations but we have no choice anymore.”
The “What a Crying Shame” singer expressed appreciation for his adult sons Dino, Vincent, and Max for their unwavering support during this challenging time, as reported by the Daily Mail.
“I want to let everybody know, I am in no way alone, or scared,” Malo reassured. “Your love, prayers, and well wishes have not gone unnoticed.”
