David Johansen, the iconic lead singer of the influential 1970s proto-punk band New York Dolls, has been revealed to be battling stage 4 cancer. His daughter, Leah Hennessey, has initiated a fundraiser to assist with the mounting costs of his treatment and care. In her announcement, Hennessey disclosed that Johansen has been undergoing intensive cancer treatment for most of the past decade, and his condition worsened in 2020 when he developed a brain tumor.
“He’s never made his diagnosis public, as he and my mother are generally very private people, but we feel compelled to share this now due to the significant financial burden our family is facing,” Hennessey stated on the fundraising platform. “To exacerbate the situation, the day after Thanksgiving, David suffered a serious fall and broke his back in two places. After spending a week in the hospital, he underwent successful surgery but has since been bedridden and incapacitated. The trauma has significantly escalated his illness, and my mother is providing around-the-clock care.”
All contributions to the fundraising campaign in Johansen’s name will be used to cover the expenses of full-time nursing, physical therapy, and essential daily living costs for the musician. Hennessey expressed hope that with professional specialized care, her father may regain some mobility and independence.
In a heartfelt statement, Johansen shared, “We’ve been living with my illness for a long time, still having fun, seeing friends and family, and trying to carry on, but this incident after Thanksgiving has brought us to a whole new level of debilitation. This is the worst pain I’ve ever experienced. I’ve never been one to ask for help, but this is an emergency. Thank you for your support.”
