Tom Parker, best known as a member of the British-Irish boy band The Wanted, reveals he has terminal brain cancer.
In an emotional statement posted to Instagram, Parker, 32, and wife Kelsey Hardwick — who are expecting their second child — announced the tragic news that the singer has an inoperable brain tumor and is undergoing treatment.
“There’s no easy way to say this but I’ve sadly been diagnosed with a Brain Tumour and I’m already undergoing treatment,” it read.
“We are all absolutely devastated but we are gonna fight this all the way. We don’t want your sadness, we just want love and positivity and together we will raise awareness of this terrible disease and look for all available treatment options. It’s gonna be a tough battle but with everyone’s love and support we are going to beat this.”
In an interview with Britain’s OK! Magazine, Parker said he went to the hospital after suffering two seizures over the summer.
“They pulled the curtain around my bed and said, ‘It’s a brain tumour.’ All I could think was, ‘------- hell!’ I was in shock. It’s stage four glioblastoma and they’ve said it’s terminal. It was a lot to deal with by myself. I still haven’t processed it.”
Medical professionals also described the tumor as a “worst-case scenario.”
However, Hardwick asked doctors not to disclose how long Parker has left because she feared it would cause him to be depressed.
According to U.K. nonprofit The Brain Tumour Charity, life expectancy for patients with the tumor ranges from three months to 18 months after diagnosis.
Despite the odds, Parker is determined to fight his illness and is also practicing reiki for his mental health.
Monday on Instagram, former bandmate Max George wrote Parker a touching message, saying, “We are all on this journey together.”
Parker and Hardwick share 16-month-old daughter Aurelia.
In 2012, The Wanted reached No. 3 on the U.S. Billboard Top 100 with their smash hit, “Glad You Came.”
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Tom and his family during this difficult time.
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