Patti Scialfa Reveals 6-Year Struggle with Blood Cancer, Husband Bruce Springsteen’s Support
Bruce Springsteen’s wife, Patti Scialfa, has opened up about her blood cancer battle … which she has been fighting since 2018.
Patti talked about her health in the new documentary “Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band,” which dropped at the Toronto International Film Festival … explaining doctors diagnosed her with multiple myeloma during her husband’s “Springsteen on Broadway” concert residency 6 years earlier.
Multiple myeloma is rare type of cancer that forms in a type of white blood cell called a plasma cell, according to the Mayo Clinic. Life expectancy varies from person to person, taking into account factors including kidney function, cancer progression and overall health.
In the doc, Patti explained her diagnosis was the reason she took a break from performing with her group, the E Street Band … saying, “Touring has become a challenge for me. This affects my immune system, so I just have to be careful what I choose to do and where I choose to go.”
She adds, “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.”
The E Street Band’s tour kicked off in February 2023 and wraps up in July 2025.
Scialfa previously addressed her hiatus last year … saying she was working on a solo album and helping care for her and Springsteen’s first grandchild, Lily, who was born to their son Sam in July 2022.