Bruce Springsteen’s wife and longtime bandmate, Patti Scialfa, is suffering from a rare form of blood cancer.
The news comes courtesy of a new documentary entitled Rock Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, which debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival over the weekend.
According to Variety, at one point in the film, Patti reveals that she’s been battling multiple myeloma since 2018.
Patti Scialfa and her husband singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen attend the premiere of “Blinded by the Light” at Paramount Theater on August 07, 2019 in Asbury Park, New Jersey. (Photo by Angela Weiss / AFP)
Her illness forced her to step away from Bruce’s current tour, which began in 2023 and runs through 2025.
Patti Scialfa Reveals Hiatus From Bruce Springsteen’s Band Due to Cancer Diagnosis
“This affects my immune system, so I have to be careful what I choose to do and where I choose to go,” she said in the doc.
“Every once in a while, I come to a show or two and I can sing a few songs on stage, and that’s been a treat. That’s the new normal for me right now, and I’m OK with that.”
Patti Scialfa and Bruce Springsteen perform onstage at the Clooney Foundation For Justice Inaugural Albie Awards at New York Public Library on September 29, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Albie Awards)
The news comes on the heels of a 2023 interview in which Scialfa claimed that she was stepping away from the band in order to spend more time with her first grandchild.
Patti Remains a Member of the E Street Band
“I didn’t feel as needed in a way because there were a lot of musicians on stage,” she told The Asbury Park Press in October of last year.
“I did the first couple of shows, and as I saw how it was all rolling, I thought, ‘This is good. This is completely intact. There’s not much room for me to add anything special.’
Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa attend the 72nd Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 10, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)
“I didn’t feel as needed in a way because there were a lot of musicians on stage,” Patti added.
“I did the first couple of shows, and as I saw how it was all rolling, I thought, ‘This is good. This is completely intact. There’s not much room for me to add anything special.’
“And the main thing was I have a record that I couldn’t have finished when Bruce was home because he’s in the studio all the time. So I took that opportunity to do my record.”
Stevie Van Zandt, Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa perform onstage at Madison Square Garden on March 28, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)
Bruce Has Dealt With Health Issues of His Own
Bruce, 74, has postponed multiple dates on the current tour due to health setbacks of his own.
In September of 2023, the rock icon was diagnosed with peptic ulcer disease.
In May, he rescheduled several shows in Europe due to “vocal issues.”
Bruce Springsteen and his wife Patti Scialfa attend the 72nd Annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 10, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)
Bruce and Patti have not offered any updates on her condition following the TIFF revelation.
In a year in which so many celebrities are battling cancer, Patti needn’t look far for encouraging examples of resilience and recovery.
And we know she has the full support of millions of fans of the E Street Band.
Our thoughts go out to Patti and her family during this difficult time.
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