Patti Scialfa, wife of Bruce Springsteen and member of the E Street Band, has revealed her battle with blood cancer.
The 71-year-old songwriter and guitarist disclosed her diagnosis in a new documentary, Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival on Sunday.
Scialfa was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer, in 2018 during Springsteen's Broadway residency.
She explained the impact on her touring commitments, detailing: "Touring has become a challenge for me. In 2018, well, Bruce and I were doing a play on Broadway. I was diagnosed with early stage multiple myeloma."
The illness has affected her ability to perform regularly with the band.
Scialfa added: "This affects my immune system so I just have to be careful what I choose to do and where I choose to go.
"Every once in a while, I come to a show or two and I can sing a few songs onstage, and that's been a treat. That's the new normal for me right now, and I'm okay with that."
Bruce Springsteen's wife Patti Scialfa has revealed her cancer diagnosis
PA
The revelation marks the first time Scialfa has spoken publicly about her cancer diagnosis, which she had kept private since 2018.
Scialfa joined the E Street Band in 1984, providing backing vocals for the Born in the USA tour. Her relationship with Springsteen blossomed later that decade, following his divorce from his first wife.
The couple's creative partnership has endured, and they have three children together: Evan, Jessica and Samuel.
Scialfa and Springsteen married in 1991, solidifying their personal and professional bond.
Patti Scialfa has been married to Springsteen since 1991
PA
Beyond her work with the E Street Band, Scialfa has pursued a solo career, releasing three studio albums. Her first two records received four-star reviews from Rolling Stone.
Springsteen has often contributed to his wife's solo work, along with other E Street Band members.
Last October, Springsteen proudly inducted Scialfa into the New Jersey Hall of Fame, recognising her contributions to the state's musical legacy.
Scialfa, who hails from Deal, New Jersey, graduated from Asbury Park High School - the same city where Springsteen honed his musical skills before achieving fame in the 1970s and 80s.
Springsteen has also faced health challenges during the band's recent world tour, their first since 2017. In September 2023, he postponed the remainder of that year's dates to undergo treatment for peptic ulcer disease.
The condition severely impacted his ability to perform. Springsteen explained on Sirius XM's E Street Radio: "You sing with your diaphragm. You know, my diaphragm was hurting so badly that when I went to make the effort to sing, it was killing me, so I literally couldn't sing at all, you know?"
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Patti Scialfa revealed the health update over the weekend
The health issues persisted into 2024, with Springsteen postponing four more dates in May due to "vocal issues" and medical advice.
An insider told the Daily Mail: "Bruce has had a rough couple of years. He's had Covid several times and even had to pull the plug on shows in August due to getting the latest strain."
The source added that Springsteen "hasn't been the same" since undergoing throat surgery in 2013 to repair damaged discs in his neck.
Despite these setbacks, the E Street Band's tour has received critical acclaim. The Guardian's Alexis Petridis praised their performance at the first UK date in May 2023, noting their enduring enthusiasm and energy on stage.
