Michael Bolton’s short-term memory, speech and mobility have been impacted by his brain cancer treatments.
The “To Love Somebody” singer detailed the excruciating side effects from his battle with glioblastoma, a rare and aggressive form of brain cancer, in an interview with People published Wednesday.
“You’re reaching into your resources and your resolve in a way that you never would have thought,” Bolton, 72, said of his mindset over the past year.
“Succumbing to the challenge is not an option,” he continued. “You’re really quickly drawn into a duel. I guess that’s the way you find out what you’re made of.”
The Grammy winner believes that sharing his experience will help other people with similar health struggles.
“Whenever you find yourself in any kind of challenging position, just knowing that you’re not alone going through it is a big deal,” he said. “It actually helps people to know. It reminds them that they’re not alone.”
Bolton has not asked his doctors for a prognosis as he is choosing to remain optimistic.
Instead, he is continuing to do the things he loves like daily meditations, golfing, working out with a trainer and taking voice lessons and voice therapy sessions.
“I find comfort in general more easily. [The whole experience] gives me a heightened sense of appreciation,” he said. “It’s unthinkable for it to be okay not to make the most of your life.
“I think we develop capabilities and problem management, and we learn how to make the best out of a bad situation. You have to be a cheerleader for yourself.”
Throughout his challenges, Bolton has a new outlook on his legacy, saying that now it is less about his music career and more about his family.
“How do I give things that they can take forward? Life lessons, love, any kind of validation that I can give [them] — I want to be on the right side of that so they feel great about who they are,” he said. “It’s a reality of mortality. Suddenly a new light has gone on that raises questions, including, ‘Am I doing the best that I can do with my time?’ ”
The pop star expressed his desire to “keep going” for the sake of his three adult daughters and his six grandchildren.
Bolton was diagnosed with glioblastoma in December 2023 after undergoing emergency surgery where doctors removed a brain tumor. Last January, he underwent a second brain surgery due to an infection and he also completed radiation and chemotherapy treatments last October.
Due to the cancer’s 90 percent recurrence rate, his doctors have been monitoring his status with bi-monthly MRIs.
“I feel there’s still a lot to do on the fight side,” Bolton said. “I got a title for a song: ‘Ain’t Going Down Without a Fight.’”
