“As many of you know, I recently went through six weeks of bronchitis, followed by a relapse of another five weeks,” Barry Manilow said via his Facebook.
Barry Manilow needs to hit pause on his farewell tour after a lung cancer diagnosis.
On Monday, Dec. 22, the “Mandy” musician revealed in a statement on his Facebook page that because a “cancerous spot” was found on his left lung, he’d need to take a break from the road.
“We just finished five great Christmas concerts at the McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert,” Manilow, 82, began the statement. “This marks the seventh time we have done these charity concerts and raised millions for nonprofit organizations throughout the Coachella Valley.”
After sharing his gratitude for everyone’s support, he opened up about his recent health issues.
“As many of you know, I recently went through six weeks of bronchitis, followed by a relapse of another five weeks,” said Manilow. “Even though I was over the bronchitis and back on stage at the Westgate Las Vegas, my wonderful doctor ordered an MRI to make sure that everything was OK.”
He continued, “The MRI discovered a cancerous spot on my left lung that needs to be removed. It’s pure luck (and a great doctor) that it was found so early. That’s the good news.”
However, Manilow noted that the “bad news” is that he needs to have surgery to remove the spot.
“The doctors do not believe it was spread, and I’m taking tests to confirm their diagnosis. So, that’s it. No chemo. No radiation. Just chicken soup and ‘I Love Lucy’ reruns,” he said.
Manilow then noted that he’s “counting the days” until he can return to his “home away from home” at the Westgate Las Vegas for his Valentine’s Day weekend concerts.
“Something tells me that February weekend is going to be one big party!” he added.
Manilow then shared the rescheduled dates from his farewell tour, which were supposed to take place in January, that included stops in nine markets including Orlando and Tampa, Fla., and Columbus, Ohio.
Read the full story at People.com.
