David Johansen Shares Stage 4 Cancer & Brain Tumor Diagnosis
David Johansen, the legendary frontman of the New York Dolls, is battling stage 4 cancer, and his family is seeking support. After privately fighting the illness for nearly a decade, his condition worsened following a severe fall that left him bedridden. His daughter, Leah Hennessy, revealed the details, launching a fundraiser to help cover his medical expenses.
Let’s break down Johansen’s health struggles, his family’s response, and how fans can support him during this difficult time.
New York Dolls’ David Johansen health update
David Johansen, lead singer of the influential punk band the New York Dolls, has stage 4 cancer and a brain tumor. His daughter, Leah Hennessy, revealed that he has been privately battling cancer for nearly a decade. “David has been in intensive treatment for stage 4 cancer for most of the past decade,” she wrote on a charity’s website, explaining that the illness progressed to a brain tumor five years ago.
On the day after Thanksgiving in 2024, Johansen suffered a severe fall, breaking his back in two places. He underwent surgery, but the injury left him “bedridden and incapacitated,” and his condition worsened significantly. “Due to the trauma, David’s illness has progressed exponentially and my mother is caring for him around the clock,” Hennessy wrote. The family launched a fundraiser with the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund to help with medical expenses, including full-time nursing and physical therapy.
Johansen addressed the crisis in a statement to Rolling Stone, saying, “We’ve been living with my illness for a long time, still having fun, seeing friends and family, carrying on, but this tumble… really brought us to a whole new level of debilitation. This is the worst pain I’ve ever experienced in my entire life. I’ve never been one to ask for help, but this is an emergency.”
David Johansen, also known as Buster Poindexter, had a Billboard hit with “Hot Hot Hot” in 1987. He later appeared as the Ghost of Christmas Past in Scrooged (1988). Hennessy urged supporters to contribute or share their story. “David is a legend but he’s also my very real, very sick dad,” she wrote on Instagram. “If you love David or any of the magic he’s brought into the world, please just take a minute to read this or share it,” she added. (via People)
Originally reported by Anubhav Chaudhry on ComingSoon.
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