Michael Bolton breaks silence about brain cancer diagnosis (exclusive)

Michael BoltonVoice has seen him through the best and worst times in his life. The soulful bariton helped him sell more than 75 million records and got him two Grammys throughout his 50-year career-and after he woke up from Acute brain surgery On December 4, 2023, it served as a lighthouse for jump in the middle of uncertainty.

“He was recovery in the hospital room and sang within minutes,” reminds his daughter Holly, 47,. “I remember that one of the nurses (at the hospital) had no idea who he was, and she is like,” Do you know he sings like this? “

That moment was one of relief for Holly and her sisters Isa, 49, and Taryn, 45. During the past six months, Bolton’s daughters have leaned to moments of joy and levity as their father, 72, still handles his biggest challenge: glioblastoma, a rare and aggressive form of brain cancer.

“You are enough for your resources and your determination in a way that you would never have thought,” says Bolton’s short-term memory, speech and mobility have been influenced by his treatment stories for people in this week’s cover history. “Giving in for the challenge is not an option. You are really drawn quickly into a duel. I guess this is how you find out what you are made of.”

If the grace and humor he handled his diagnosis is any indication, Bolton is really made from tough things. He was diagnosed with glioblastoma in December 2023 after undergoing emergency surgery, under which a doctor could remove a brain tumor in its entirety (Bolton’s neuro-oncologist, Dr. Ingo Mellinghoff from the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, says this happens by this happens by 40 percent of the gli-.

He underwent a second brain surgery in January 2024 due to an infection, and then closing radiation and chemotherapy treatment in October, MRI undergoes every two months to ensure that his tumor has not returned. His latest scan in early April was clear, and the way forward is about surveillance, as the recidivism rate for glioblastoma is about 90 percent, according to Glioblastoma foundation.

“When you are in some kind of challenging position, just to know that you are not alone to go through, it is a big deal,” says the star, who consciously has not received a forecast and chooses to remain hopeful. “It actually helps people know. It reminds them that they are not alone.”

Bolton first shared news about his illness with his devoted fans in January 2024 and announced on Instagram that he had undergone brain surgery and took a break from a tournament.

In the meantime, he has settled in life at home in Westport, Conn., Where he lived for more than 30 years. Much of his time spent with his daughters and his Six grandchildren Amelia, 14, Olivia, 13, Dylan, 11, Grayson, 10, River, 9 and Jack, 8, with which he regularly enjoys Family Trivia Nights.

“We are in this together, and that’s it,” says Taryn.

Bolton meditates daily and golf as much as he can, and he is still working on a personal trainer and takes voice lessons, plus voice therapy with a coach online.

“I think easier comfort. (The whole experience) gives me an increased sense of appreciation. It is inconceivable that it is okay not to get the most out of your life,” he says. “I think we develop capacity and problem management and we learn to make the best of a bad situation. You have to be a cheerleader yourself.”

With everything he has gone through, Bolton admits that his definition of inheritance has developed. Previously, he would have considered his lasting career as his heritage. Now he is more concerned that his daughters are equipped for what is the next.

“How do I give things that they can develop? Life lessons, love, some kind of validation that I can give (them) – I want to be on the right side of it so they feel good for who they are,” he says. “It’s a reality of mortality. Suddenly a new light has been going on that raises questions, including” Do I do the best I can do with my time? ”

It is a question that he hopes he still has plenty of time to answer.

“I want to continue. I feel there is still much to do on the fight side,” he says. “I got a title for a song: ‘Ain’t Going Down Without a Fight.’ “

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