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Candye Kane Health Update

Candy KaneHi everyone,

I am so lucky to have so many people who really want to know what’s going on with me.

It’s confirmed... I have a neuroendocrine tumor, which is very good news. It is less aggressive than other pancreatic cancers, but it is still cancer. Dr. Lowy thinks I can safely go and do my European tour - March 26 to May 3 and then come home and have my surgery at UCSD cancer center during the first or second week of May. This means I will have to cancel my East Coast run, but it can’t be avoided; I have so much work, something has to be cancelled. I am going to Europe because Dr. Lowy says they can’t operate on me now anyway because I still have pancreatitis, which was caused by my biopsy. They cannot operate on me until my pancreas calms down. I will probably be having surgery right when my East Coast tour was supposed to start. I will most likely be laid up all of May and June and may be able to resume working in late June/early July, but I will have to wait and see at this point. I will be hospitalized for at least seven to ten days after the abdominal surgery and then will need lots of bed rest to get better from this very intense surgery.

Every time I go to Europe, I always think, "What would I do if this were my last time here?" This time in Europe will be all the more poignant in that regard. I will start the tour in Amsterdam where I will do some workshops with my special needs friends for the United by Music tour www.unitedbymusic.eu. I knew they wouldn’t understand why I wasn’t there so I am glad the doctor has given me the green light on this tour. Then i will tour Scandinavia with my own band for a week, my son Evan on drums, Laura Chavez on guitar, and Paul Loranger on bass. After a few days off in Amsterdam I will take off with the Blues Caravan again with Deborah Coleman, Dani Wilde, and Laura Chavez and play music all over Germany, Holland, Austria, and the Baltics. I will come home on May 4. Hopefully I will be able to attend the Handys and then have the surgery, but I’m not too optimistic about that. I already feel extremely blessed to be able to do this European run and I don’t want to push my luck.

There are a few beautiful people planning benefits. Carlos Guitarlos is planning one on April 20 at Perqs in Huntington Beach, California, with my old friend Desiree Martinez. Carlos is inviting a bunch of my L.A. musician friends to participate. If you are interested in playing or attending, you can email Desiree at perqs2@aol.com and volunteer. Already confirmed are Laurie Morvan, the Gears, and friends from the Blasters, Top Jimmy, and the Rhythm Pigs, but there is still more room on the bill if you are interested in helping out. In San Diego my friend Chet Cannon is also organizing a benefit at Humphrey’s. Sue Palmer is confirmed and I am sure there will be many more people signing up. Please write to Chet at blushouter@aol.com if you are interested in joining in. Stu Metzler is organizing one in Pittsburgh at Moondog’s and Mike Joy is organizing one in Washington, D.C. And I believe Rosie Flores is working on one in Austin as well as Barbara Hammerman in the Tacoma/Gig Harbor, Washington, area. I just feel so blessed to have so many wonderful people in my corner rooting for me. I am already over $10,000 in debt just from the hospital stay last weekend and the various tests and consultations. And when I can’t work for a few months, it will be really difficult. All the help everyone is giving me is so miraculous and generous. I really am astounded by the kindness of so many of you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. If you can’t play music for me or attend a benefit and you still want to help, my paypal account is candyekanetour@aol.com and my address is 315 S. Hwy 101 #47 Encinitas, CA 92024. I am applying for medi-cal and have an appointment with a social worker this Wednesday, but I hear they only pay for half of the medical expenses now so that will really be tough. I just couldn’t do this without the kind help of so many of you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

I got a great present this week when this quote was called to my attention:

B.B. King, asked about other Blues singers he likes, mentioned Candye Kane. “She has that big, brassy voice, [it] has a lot of authority and sass, the kind of thing that men like because it’s seductive and women like because it’s powerful. You put her with a player like, oh, say Walter Trout, you might have a real big thing going, hit records and everything.” - San Diego Reader 3/12/08

This was a sweet surprise and a lovely gift in itself. Now if I can get an opening slot for B.B. after I beat cancer’s ass that will really be a triumph for this tough ol' broad!

Much love and gratitude,
Candye


www.candyekane.com
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