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Lady A’s Charles Kelley is facing one of the toughest battles of his life, but he’s making it clear that he’s not stepping away from the music anytime soon.
The 45-year-old country star revealed in an emotional Instagram video alongside his wife, Cassie, that he has been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a rare form of blood cancer. Kelley shared that the diagnosis came after suffering several unexplained rib fractures, which prompted doctors to run additional blood tests. That’s when they discovered the cancer.
Despite the life-changing news, Kelley remains incredibly optimistic.
“I’m young. I feel healthy,” he said, adding that treatments for multiple myeloma have advanced significantly in recent years. “Life expectancy far exceeds what it used to be. I feel really hopeful.”
Multiple myeloma is a cancer that affects plasma cells in the bone marrow. While it’s currently considered incurable, modern treatments have dramatically improved survival rates and can often put the disease into long-term remission.
The good news for Lady A fans is that Kelley doesn’t plan on slowing down. He says the first six months of treatment shouldn’t be “super invasive,” allowing him to continue recording new music with Lady A and perform the band’s upcoming Christmas shows.
“I think physically I will feel like myself. I’ll have tough days, but I want to keep working,” Kelley explained. “This is where I belong. I need to be happy and doing what I love to do while soaking up as much time with my family as I can.”
Kelley also said he’s choosing to be open about his diagnosis for the same reason he previously shared his sobriety journey with fans. He believes talking about it helps take away some of its power and is approaching this new chapter “one day at a time.”
Support poured in almost immediately from across the country music community. Lady A bandmates Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood offered heartfelt messages of encouragement, while artists including Martina McBride, Shay Mooney, Brittney Spencer and Jake Owen also shared their prayers and support.
With a new Lady A album on the horizon and the band’s This Winter’s Night Tour set to kick off in December, Kelley says he’s focused on moving forward with hope, his family by his side, and doing what he loves most—making music.
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