Charles Kelley, the co-lead vocalist and founding member of the country music trio Lady A, has been diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer.
In a video he shared on Instagram Tuesday alongside his wife, Cassie McConnell Kelley, the singer said he has multiple myeloma.
“Hey everybody, just wanted to give a quick update on some health issues I’m dealing with,” he said. “I had this — a couple random rib fractures that happened, which sparked my doctor into having me do several different blood tests.”
Kelley continued, “And one of the blood tests we did, they found a blood cancer in there called multiple myeloma and it’s rare.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that multiple myeloma is a type of blood cancer where too many plasma cells crowd “out normal cells in the bone marrow that make red blood cells, platelets and other white blood cells.”
The CDC adds that it’s the most common type of plasma cell tumor and develops in the bone marrow and can spread throughout the body. According to the agency, scientists are still unclear about why some people get myeloma and others don’t, but age is the most significant risk factor.
Men are also more likely than women to develop myeloma, according to the CDC.
Despite the diagnosis, the “Need You Now” singer said he is hopeful.
“I’m young, I feel healthy, and the treatments, I will have to say, have just come so far, even in the past five years that, even a life expectancy is just far exceeds what it used to be,” he said, adding that he has leaned on a friend of his who is also diagnosed with multiple myeloma.
He talked about upcoming shows lined up with Lady A, including several Christmas shows. He also mentioned that he has the first six months of treatment but didn’t specify when that will be. However, Kelley said that he doesn’t believe that it will be “too super invasive.”
“I can still work,” he said. “I think physically I will feel like myself. I’ll have tough days, but you know, I wanna keep working. Even going out last weekend after even knowing the news, it was like this is where I belong.”
Kelley continued, “I need to be happy and doing what I love to do and spending and soaking up as much time with my family as I can as well. But I’m hopeful, I really am and we just want to let you all know and I’ll try to let you in when I feel like it’s appropriate throughout the journey and it’s just another hurdle and you know I’m pretty confident that we’re going to get through it.”
Previously, Kelley has been open about his sobriety journey. After starting recovery in August 2022, he has spoken in depth about the process with his fans.
“It helped me so much,” he said. “I think in the same spirit of the way we’ve kind of shared a lot of my sobriety journey just getting this stuff off your chest is so freeing and it takes the power away from it a little but that we wanted to let you know what was going on.”
He added, “We’re going to get through it. I think in sobriety, it’s all about one day at a time and that we’re not in control and so that’s the way we’re looking at it.
In the comments section of Kelley’s post, his fellow band members shared their support.
Hillary Scott wrote, “The strongest duo right here! Love y’all so much! You’ve got this!”
Dave Haywood added, “Covering you in prayer brother. Love y’all. We’re all here for you!”
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