Blink-182's Mark Hoppus is now cancer-free after beating stage 4 lymphoma last year and he even managed to record some new music while in the midst of treatment for his cancer.
The singer says he was “sick as hell” and didn’t know what the future held for him as he recorded these songs. He’s featured on “adding up” by Smrtdeath and “Re-Entry” from A Day to Remember.
Stoked to be on this track. Sang it while I was sick as hell, not knowing what was to come. Blessed and thankful. ðŸ™ðŸ» â¦@smrtdeathâ© https://t.co/0jQpNWZNlT
Read More— Mark Hoppus (@markhoppus) January 19, 2022 Fans’ responses to the new music were mixed but many were supportive of Hoppus and his good health. One Twitter user writes, “So happy you're better today, sharing it with us. This is a banger! Loving it!!”So happy you're better today, sharing it with us. This is a banger! Loving it!!
— PizzaVenkman (@Pizza_Venkman) January 19, 2022
Another Twitter user writes, “So f****** great. Almost as great as you feeling better.”
Hoppus’s Lymphoma Journey
Hoppus was diagnosed with Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma Stage IV-A earlier this year, and after treating it with chemotherapy, he's now cancer-free. Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma is a type of blood cancer; there's currently no screening test for lymphoma, unlike breast cancer or colon cancer, for example.
The most common types of blood cancers include Hodgkin lymphoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, leukemia, and multiple myeloma. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society reports that every 3 minutes, one person in the U.S. is diagnosed with a blood cancer. This year alone, approximately 186,400 people will be diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma.
Some people may have an elevated risk of developing for blood cancers like lymphoma. Here are some reasons which may put you in a higher risk category for lymphoma:
- You have been infected with the HIV or Epstein-Barr virus
- You have had an organ transplant
- You have a family history of lymphoma
- You have been treated with radiation or chemotherapy drugs for cancer in the past
- You have an autoimmune disease
- Speak with your doctor about your family's cancer history, if any, and ways you can stay on top of your screenings and limit risk factors for all cancers
Finding Lymphoma Early, Do You Know the Risks?
Working through Cancer
A cancer diagnosis can be a life-altering event, and finding pockets of normalcy, like recording music if you’re a singer, during the cancer journey is often welcome. For most people, going to work every day if you're well enough to do so can be an effective strategy for keeping things as "normal" as possible during an abnormal health event like cancer.
Related: Medical Social Workers Offer Emotional Support to Cancer Patients
For Hoppus, it's clear that he’s passionate about the work of making music and wasn’t going to let cancer slow him down. Laurie Ostacher, a social worker at Sutter Bay Medical Foundation, says in an earlier interview how important a person's career may be to them, even during the cancer journey. She explains, "Some women choose to continue working [through cancer] because working is a significant part of their identity, they enjoy the job, and there's flexibility built in."
"I help folks think about whether it makes sense to work," she says. "If you really don't want to but are worried you're not going to be able to make ends meet, then I'll sit down and help them figure out, you know, with your disability insurance, would this be possible?"
Ostacher explains the questions she might pose to people to probe them to think about how their work life might look through cancer. She says, "For women who choose to work, I help them think about what types of conversations do you need to have with their employer? How much information do you want to share with him or her? What type of work schedule seems like it might work for you? Where might you need more flexibility?"
Working During Your Cancer Treatment
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.