SICK OF IT ALL’s LOU KOLLER Offers Health Update: ‘The Cancer Has Not Spread’

Vocalist Lou Koller of New York hardcore legends SICK OF IT ALL is preparing to go into surgery after recently being diagnosed with an esophageal tumor.Earlier today (Wednesday, October 23),Koller shared a video update via social media in which he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “Hey, everybody. What’s up? It’s Lou. Real quick update. I’m heading in for my surgery tomorrow, which is great. The chemo, besides messing me up and kicking my ass, actually did its job. The tumor is said to be dead flesh. That’s what the nurse said. I don’t know what it means, but I guess it’s good. The cancer has not spread. They will be cutting out the infected area tomorrow. So it should be about an eight-hour operation. What do I care? I’m gonna be sleeping through the whole thing. And hopefully I see you all guys afterwards. It might be a little while before an update, depending on how well I feel and all that stuff. All right. But thank you again for all your support, prayers, well wishes, the gifts, the financial support, as always. Thank you, and hope you’re all doing good, and I’ll let you know how it goes. See ya.”After Lou went public in late June with the news that doctors discovered a cancerous tumor in his esophagus, his brother Pete, SICK OF IT ALL guitarist, set up a GoFundMe campaign to help cover some of the costs of his cancer treatment and assist with living expenses while the group is off the road and unable to tour. That campaign has since raised more than $300,000, with fellow artists AFI, RANCID and DROPKICK MURPHYS contributing $5,000 apiece, and bands such as SNAPCASE and HOT WATER MUSIC also making generous donations.The long-running New York Hardcore band subsequently canceled its previously announced European tour dates.When Lou first posted about the diagnosis on social media, he said: “[Doctors] found a tumor in my esophagus that goes into my stomach, and I’ll have to be getting treatment all summer — and of course, with full support of the band. As soon as they heard it, they were, like, ‘Forget the tour. Just get healthy.’ … They’re all behind me staying home and us staying home.”Koller ended the message by saying: “I’ll hopefully beat this thing and see you at the end of the summer … or maybe the winter.”SICK OF IT ALL’s European tour was supposed to kick off in the Czech Republic on July 4.SICK OF IT ALL’s latest album, “Wake The Sleeping Dragon!”, was released in November 2018 via Century Media.UpdateHey just a message before I go in for my surgery tomorrow. Thank you for all your support and everything you all have done for me! I am very lucky to have you all behind me. I’m also very lucky that this has been going so well and the treatments are doing their job. Please send well wishes and support and prayers to two of my friends fighting a much tougher battle than me. @alexa.poli.scheigert and @xchadballx you are always in my thoughts! Stay strong! Love you all. Talk to you soon! #sickofitall #soianyc #nyhc #newyorkhardcore #hardcoreworldwide #undergroundmusic #punk #metal #thrash #fuckcancer #itsclobberingtimePosted by Sick Of It All on Wednesday, October 23, 2024