Bruce Springsteen’s wife and member of the E Street Band, Patti Scialfa, has revealed that she was diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer in 2018.
For the first time, Scialfa detailed her multiple myeloma diagnosis in the new documentary Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen And The E Street Band, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday (8 September).
In the documentary, Scialfa shared that she can’t tour extensively with the band due to the immuno-compromising nature of multiple myeloma.
“I’ve been performing with this band for 40 years. With those first performances, it felt so good to be back onstage. Touring has become a challenge for me,” the musician admitted (via Far Out Magazine).
She continued, “In 2018, Bruce and I were doing a play on Broadway. I was diagnosed with early-stage multiple myeloma. This affects my immune system, so I just have to be careful what I choose to do and where I choose to go.
“Every once in a while, I come to a show or two, and I can sing a few songs onstage. That’s been a treat. That’s the new normal for me right now, and I’m OK with that.”
Scialfa joined the E Street Band in 1984, playing the guitar and tambourine and providing backing vocals. As NME notes, she joined the band just days before the Born In The USA tour began. The couple started living together later in the ‘80s.
Scialfa and Springsteen got married in 1991. They had their first child in 1990 and two more children after marriage.
You can watch them perform together below.
A month before last year’s AFL Grand Final, former AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan revealed that Bruce Springsteen topped his bucket list of artists to perform on the biggest day of the national sport’s calendar.
“We offered him the kitchen sink, and he’s not available,” McLachlan told Neil Mitchell on 3AW. “So, we’re working back from Bruce Springsteen this year.”
Mitchell replied, “Seriously? Did you offer a return or not?”
McLachlan responded, “He certainly sounded out, and they offered him money we couldn’t afford, and that still didn’t tick the box.”
