David Johansen of New York Dolls has revealed his stage 4 cancer diagnosis, calling it the “worst pain [he’s] ever experienced in [his] entire life.”
His daughter, Leah Hennessey, has launched a fundraising site to help pay for his treatment and care and shared information about his diagnosis on her social media pages.
Hennessey shared that Johansen has been receiving intensive cancer treatment for “most of the last decade.”
According to the page, he was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2020, which has caused further complications. Last November, he fell down stairs and broke his back in two places.
“He’s never made his diagnosis public, as he and my mother Mara are generally very private people, but we feel compelled to share this now, due to the increasingly severe financial burden our family is facing,” the fundraiser’s description reads.
In a statement shared by Brooklyn Vegan, Johansen said: “We’ve been living with my illness for a long time, still having fun, seeing friends and family, carrying on, but this tumble the day after Thanksgiving really brought us to a whole new level of debilitation.
“This is the worst pain I’ve ever experienced in my entire life. I’ve never been one to ask for help, but this is an emergency. Thank you.”
Hennessey’s description on the fundraiser page later states that Johansen and his wife Mara Hennessey will need full-time assistance. It read: “As hilarious and wise as David continues to be, he is physically debilitated and his care exceeds what we are capable of providing without specialized professional help.”
Made in collaboration with the Sweet Relief Musician Fund, the fundraiser aims to raise money to cover the medical expenses associated with Johansen’s cancer treatment and aid. This includes full-time nursing, physical therapy and funding for day-to-day vital living expenses.
