The Cure Keyboardist Roger O'Donnell Diagnosed with 'Very Rare and Aggressive' Form of Lymphoma

The Cure keyboardist Roger O’Donnell is open about his cancer diagnosis.

On Sunday, September 1, the 68-year-old musician shared a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter) in honor of Blood Cancer Awareness Month in the UK. He revealed that he had been diagnosed with “a very rare and aggressive form of lymphoma,” and shared his journey with the disease and treatment so far.

“I ignored the symptoms for a few months, but I finally went and after the surgery the biopsy result was devastating,” O’Donnell began, recalling the first exam that led to his diagnosis.

“I have now completed 11 months of treatment with some of the best specialists in the world and with second opinions and advice from the teams who developed the drugs I was given,” O’Donnell continued below the black and white image. photo of him and his partner Mimi.

“I benefited from the latest sci-fi immunotherapy and some drugs that were first used 100 years ago,” said the musician, who joined The Cure in 1987. “The last stage of treatment was radiotherapy, which was also one of the first treatments developed against cancer.”

O’Donnell added that since his treatment began last fall, “he is doing well and the prognosis is amazing.”

“A crazy ax murderer knocked on the door and we didn’t answer,” he joked, before taking the opportunity to urge those with symptoms to seek treatment as soon as possible. “Cancer CAN be beaten but if you are diagnosed early enough you have a much better chance so all I can say is go and GET TESTED, if you have even the slightest thought you might have symptoms, go and get tested.”

Roger O’Donnell.

Mick Hutson/Redferns

According to the Mayo Clinic, lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic system, which is the system in the body that allows it to fight germs and disease. Cancer occurs when healthy cells change and grow out of control.

The clinic states that lymphoma — and its different forms, such as Hodgkin’s lymphoma and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma — can have many different symptoms including: fever, night sweats, fatigue, itchy skin, painless swelling of lymph nodes in the stomach, neck, armpit or groin , chest pain, abdominal or bone pain, or weight loss.

The keyboardist shared another black-and-white photo on Instagram of his short hair, and he credited his partner for the photo, writing in the description: “The hair is not out of place hahahah.”

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The Cure 1987

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Last year, The Cure announced that O’Donnell would not be joining the band on the Latin American leg of their Shows of a Lost World tour due to unspecified health reasons. The group then wrote on social media that they “wish him a speedy recovery”.

O’Donnell is not the first member of a British rock group to be diagnosed with cancer. In February 2019, the band’s former drummer Andy Anderson died at the age of 68, a week after revealing on Facebook that he was suffering from terminal cancer. Rolling Stone.

O’Donnell concluded his lengthy X thread with a request to his followers to speak up for anyone who may be suffering from blood cancer symptoms.

“If you know someone who is sick or suffering, talk to them. Every word helps – trust me I know,” he wrote. “I would also like to thank my [doctors]rock stars, every single one of them, all the nurses and techs, my friends, family and Mimi. Sometimes it’s harder to be on the other side of this.”

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Source: HIS Education