David Johansen, vocalist of proto-punk group New York Dolls, has shared that he is living with stage 4 cancer and a brain tumour. Now, his family is raising funds after a broken back has left him in need of full-time care.
Sweet Relief Musicians Fund, a nonprofit that provides financial aid to musicians, has launched the David Johansen Fund. A statement from his daughter Leah Hennessey reveals that Johansen has been undergoing cancer treatment for most of the past decade, and this progressed to become a brain tumour in 2020.
"He's never made his diagnosis public, as he and my mother Mara are generally very private people, but we feel compelled to share this now, due to the increasingly severe financial burden our family is facing," Hennessey wrote.
She shared that he fell down the stairs the day after Thanksgiving, breaking his back in two places. He has since had surgery, which was successful, although the injury has made his illness progress.
Johansen is accepting donations, and there's also a T-shirt that benefits the cause. See the campaign here.