Tom Parker, of British-Irish boy band The Wanted, revealed Monday that he has been diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor.
In an interview with OK! magazine, Parker said that he was “still in shock” after learning he has stage 4 glioblastoma.
“I knew something wasn’t right, but I never expected it to be this," he told the publication.
The 32-year-old singer said that he is already undergoing treatment and plans to fight the disease.
According to the BBC, Parker first became aware that there might be underlying health issues back in July when he suffered a seizure. Less than two months later, he suffered a second seizure. Days later, MRI scans showed images of the tumor.
Parker and his wife, Kelsey Hardwick, said they wanted to be transparent with fans about their situation.
“We decided, after a lot of thought, that rather than hiding away and trying to keep it a secret, we would do one interview where we could lay out all the details and let everyone know the facts in our own way,” Parker wrote on Instagram. “We are all absolutely devastated but we are gonna fight this all the way. We don’t want your sadness, we just want love and positivity and together we will raise awareness of this terrible disease and look for all available treatment options.”
The couple told OK! magazine they asked medical professionals to refrain from giving an estimated timeline for how the cancer may develop.
“I said that for Tom’s state of mind, and who he is as a person, that would not be good for him,” Hardwick said. “He would literally sit here and count down the days and not live his life.”
“There are so many stories of people who were given a bad prognosis and are still here five, 10, even 15 years later. We’re going to fight this all the way," said Parker.
The couple, who are parents to a 16-month-old daughter, are also expecting their second child.
Glioblastoma is one of the most complex, deadly and treatment-resistant cancers, according to the National Brain Tumor Society. The average age of patients diagnosed with the illness is 64.
The deadly brain cancer killed Sen. John McCain in 2018. Beau Biden, the son of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, died of the disease in 2015.
The Wanted was formed in the United Kingdom in 2009 with Parker and four other members. The group gained popularity in the U.S. with the release of their 2012 hit single “Glad You Came.” In 2013, the band starred in reality TV series “The Wanted Life” on the E! network. The next year, they announced they were going on an indefinite hiatus to focus on solo projects.
Cox Media Group
