Bernie Worrell diagnosed with late-stage cancer

Legendary funk keyboardist Bernie Worrell revealed in a note on Facebook that he was diagnosed with stage-four lung cancer.

His wife Judie posted the message on Jan. 1, and wrote, “We have rejected chemotherapy (at this point) but he is undergoing naturopathic treatment (for which we are trying to raise money) which does the same but without the toxic chemical stew.”

Worrell, who was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997, has played keyboards with bands like Parliament-Funkadelic and The Talking Heads. In her note, Judie asked fans to head to his Indiegogo page to donate money to help fund his solo album Retrospectives. “He wants his album released in his lifetime (if you have not already, please go to the indiegogo page,” she wrote. “Then, we will address trying to find a cure for him.”

Judie also told the Asbury Park Press that Worrell was diagnosed with a “mild form” of prostate cancer. “Doctors said men can live with that 20 to 30 years,” she told the paper, via email. Then tests showed 4th stage liver cancer that has metastasized to his liver and the pleural cavities. We are investigating various options.”

See Judie’s full post below: