Fronted by lead singer Raul Malo, The Mavericks formed in Miami in 1989. More than three decades later, they are still going strong, collecting three ACM trophies and two CMA Awards. And even in the face of Malo’s cancer diagnosis, the group continues to perform for their fans. Recently, Malo, 59, took to social media to update fans on his ongoing battle.
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The Mavericks’ Raul Malo Schedules Surgery for Next Month
In a lengthy social media post June 30, The Mavericks vocalist Raul Malo got candid about his health, sharing a photo from his last round of chemotherapy.
“Psychology is an integral part of your physical state,” he wrote. “I thought I had everything under control. (Btw, that’s just you lying to yourself) Then the cancer sideshows started to play out.”
While he has made it a point to continue performing in the face of cancer, a simple sinus infection recently took him down temporarily. “I had never felt headaches like that,” Malo wrote.
Even after visiting a specialist, Malo says he is still experiencing numbness on the left side of his face.
“Neurologist said it will repair over time,” he wrote. “The damage is not permanent and not visible. A little drooling here and there…oh well.”
Not holding back about the uglier sides of cancer, Malo continued, “The abdominal hernia has been the most challenging in all of this. First of all it’s very visible. And at times it has been really painful. Most of the time it’s just really uncomfortable as I have to wear this hernia belt around my abdomen to help keep my insides in place…ugh! I’ve basically been turned into a drooling, farting potato…sigh.”
[RELATED: The Mavericks’ Raul Malo Hospitalized After Cancer Surgery Complications]
“Perspective: I’m Alive”
Providing a clear picture of his situation, Raul Malo shared that he will undergo surgery on his colon in August.
“Perspective: I’m alive,” he wrote. “I say all this because I want those that are going through this to know that challenges will arise. You will have your own. The fact that I can go onstage helps keep me focused on the end game.”
Signing off, the “Dance the Night Away” crooner concluded, “For all those fighting this fight…hang in there. We got this!”
Malo announced his cancer diagnosis in June 2024. “I went public with this as soon as we could, and it helped me deal with it as well,” he told NPR in April. “You know, it helped me find strength to not fear it, but tackle it head on and continue to live your life. Continue doing what you are doing.”
Featured image by Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
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