Bruce Springsteen's wife Patti Scialfa has been battling blood cancer since 2018.
Scialfa, 71, revealed she is suffering from multiple myeloma in her husband's new documentary, “Road Diaries: Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band,” which premieres Sunday night. Toronto Film Festival,
The guitarist revealed his health issues are the reason he's taken a step back from himself and Springsteen's E Street Band.
“Touring has become a challenge for me,” Scialfa said in the documentary. “It affects my immune system, so I just have to be careful about what I want to do and where I want to go.”
“Occasionally I’ll come to a show or two and get to sing a few songs on stage, and it’s a treat,” Scialfa said. “That’s the new normal for me right now, and I’m okay with it.”
Scialfa has been a member of the E Street Band since 1984 and married Springsteen in 1991.
As she explained in the document, Scialfa was diagnosed with blood cancer during the race. “Springsteen on Broadway” Concert Residency,
The New Jersey native said she has been absent from the majority of the E Street Band's current tour, which began in February 2023 and will end in July 2025, to focus on her health.
Multiple myeloma is a cancer that forms in a type of white blood cell called a plasma cell. Symptoms include bone pain, loss of appetite, nausea, fatigue, infections, weight loss, and mental blurriness. Mayo Clinic,
Last year, Scialfa told Asbury Park Press She explained that the break from touring was because she was working on a solo album and spending time with Springsteen and her family. First grandson. Their son Sam welcomed their daughter Lily in July 2022.
“I didn't feel the need to in any way because there were so many musicians on stage,” he said in an October 2023 interview. “I did the first few shows, and when I saw how everything was going, I thought, 'This is good. It's all intact. There's not much room for me to add anything special.' “
Scialfa added, “And the main thing was I had a record that I couldn't finish if Bruce was at home because he's in the studio all the time. So I took that opportunity to make my own record.”
Springsteen, 74, has dealt with his own issues during his band's ongoing tour.
“Dancing in the Dark” singer was He had to postpone his tour dates From September to December 2023 due to peptic ulcer disease.
After a six-month hiatus, the world tour resumed last March, though that Three European shows rescheduled in May due to “vocal issues.”
Springsteen's new documentary includes footage from his latest tour and interviews with the remaining members of the E Street Band, including guitarist Steven Van Zandt and drummer Max Weinberg.
The beloved rock star also opens up about his future acting in the documentary.
“Road Diaries: Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band” begins streaming Oct. 25 on Hulu and Disney+.
