The Cure's Roger O'Donnell Diagnosed With 'Very Rare and Aggressive Form of Lymphoma'

O'Donnell shared his diagnosis at the start of Blood Cancer Awareness Month in the United Kingdom.

By Ashley Turner

Roger O'Donnell, keyboardist for the band The Cure, has disclosed his battle with a severe form of cancer. The 68-year-old musician, who stepped away from the band's tour last year citing undisclosed health concerns, chose Sept. 1 to share his diagnosis with the public, coinciding with the beginning of Blood Cancer Awareness Month in the United Kingdom.

O'Donnell took to Instagram to inform his followers about his condition, stating he was diagnosed with a "very rare and aggressive form of lymphoma." The announcement clarified the mysterious health issues that had forced him to withdraw from The Cure's Latin American tour in 2023, a move that had left fans concerned and speculating. At the time, the band stated, "We are sure you will join with us in wishing him the speediest of recoveries."

In his post, O'Donnell recounted his journey, revealing that he had initially disregarded the symptoms for several months. "I had ignored the symptoms for a few months but finally went and after surgery the result of the biopsy was devastating," he wrote.

Despite the seriousness of his diagnosis, O'Donnell's update was tinged with optimism. "I'm fine and the prognosis is amazing, the mad axe murderer knocked on the door and we didn't answer," he shared. This positive outlook comes after an intensive treatment regimen spanning nearly a year.

The musician detailed his treatment journey, stating, "I've now completed 11 months of treatment under some of the finest specialists in the world and with second opinions and advice from the teams that had developed the drugs I was being given. I had the benefit of the latest sci-fi immunotherapy and some drugs that were first used 100 years ago. The last phase of treatment was radiotherapy which also was one of the first treatments developed against cancer."

Lymphoma, the type of cancer O'Donnell is battling, is a complex disease affecting the blood-forming tissues and immune system cells. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that lymphoma can "begin almost anywhere," because it grows in blood-forming tissue and immune system cells found throughout the body. The American Cancer Society outlines a range of symptoms associated with lymphoma, including enlarged lymph nodes, unexplained weight loss, fatigue, and abdominal swelling, though some patients may remain asymptomatic until the disease progresses significantly.

Statistics from the American Cancer Society indicate that non-Hodgkin lymphoma accounts for approximately 4% of all cancer cases, with an estimated 20,140 deaths attributed to it in 2024. Hodgkin lymphoma, while less common, is projected to result in about 8,570 new cases and 910 deaths in the same year.

O'Donnell emphasized the importance of early detection and regular health screenings, urging his followers, "Cancer CAN be beaten but if you are diagnosed early enough you stand a way better chance, so all I have to say is go GET TESTED, if you have the faintest thought you may have symptoms go and get checked out."

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The musician also highlighted the significance of emotional support during such challenging times. "Lastly if you know someone who is ill or suffering talk to them, every single word helps, believe me I know," he shared. "I would also like to thank my [doctors], rockstars, every one of them, all the nurses and technicians, my friends, family and Mimi. Sometimes it's harder to be on the other side of this."

O'Donnell's battle with cancer is not an isolated incident within The Cure's history. In 2019, the band's former drummer, Andy Anderson, succumbed to terminal cancer at the age of 68, just a week after publicly announcing his diagnosis.

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