Roger O'Donnell, the keyboardist of The Cure, has shared the deeply personal news of his battle with cancer.
On Sunday, September 1, the 68-year-old musician took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to mark Blood Cancer Awareness Month in the U.K. and revealed that he had been diagnosed with "a very rare and aggressive form of lymphoma." Through a series of heartfelt posts, he recounted his harrowing experience with the disease and the intensive treatment that followed.
"I had dismissed the symptoms for several months, but I eventually sought medical advice. After surgery, the biopsy results were shattering," O'Donnell wrote, reflecting on the moment that first led to his diagnosis.
O'Donnell went on to explain that he has now completed 11 months of treatment, guided by some of the most esteemed specialists in the world. "I have had second opinions and support from the teams who developed the medications I’ve been treated with," he added, beneath a poignant black-and-white photo of himself with his partner, Mimi.
"My treatment has included cutting-edge immunotherapy, along with some medications that have been in use for over a century," he shared. "The last phase was radiotherapy, one of the earliest methods developed to combat cancer."
Since beginning treatment last fall, O'Donnell reports that he is doing well and remains optimistic. "The prognosis is incredible," he noted.
In his post, O'Donnell used dark humor to describe his battle with the disease: "The mad axe murderer knocked on the door, and we didn’t answer," he quipped. He also took the opportunity to urge others to act quickly if they suspect something is wrong. "Cancer can be beaten, but the key is early detection. So, please, get tested. Even if you have the slightest suspicion, go and get checked."
Lymphoma, as described by the Mayo Clinic, is a type of cancer that affects the lymphatic system, which is responsible for fighting infections and diseases. It occurs when healthy cells mutate and grow uncontrollably. The condition, including its subtypes such as Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, can present with symptoms like fever, night sweats, fatigue, itching, painless swelling of lymph nodes, chest or abdominal pain, and unexplained weight loss.
On Instagram, O'Donnell shared another black-and-white photo of himself with short hair, joking in the caption, "The hair isn’t out of choice hahahah," and credited his partner Mimi for capturing the image.
Last year, The Cure announced that O'Donnell would be absent from the Latin American leg of their "Shows of a Lost World" tour due to unspecified health concerns. At the time, the band sent their well-wishes for his speedy recovery.
O'Donnell is not the first member of The Cure to face a cancer diagnosis. In February 2019, the group's former drummer, Andy Anderson, passed away at the age of 68, just a week after revealing his terminal diagnosis on Facebook, according to Rolling Stone.
Concluding his series of posts, O'Donnell made a heartfelt plea to his followers: "If you know someone who is unwell or struggling, reach out to them. Every word matters — trust me, I know." He also expressed his gratitude, thanking his doctors, nurses, friends, family, and especially Mimi, acknowledging that sometimes it is more challenging to support a loved one through such an ordeal.
The Quran - Chapter Al-Haqqah : 07 - 08
which Allah unleashed on them non-stop for seven nights and eight days, so that you would have seen its people lying dead like trunks of uprooted palm trees.
Do you see any of them left alive?
