2016 has gotten off to a bad start as several celebrities have left us. What scary is that there is a similar cause: cancer.
It all started on Dec. 28 when Lemmy Kilmister, front man for the band Motörhead, died, according to Metal Injection. Lemmy was famous for his 50 years in heavy metal and his gravelly voice. The 70-year-old rock star was diagnosed two days before his death with an aggressive form of cancer. Tumors were found in his brain and neck. His bandmates were shocked, as he was diagnosed to have “two to six months to live.”
Next to follow was rock god David Bowie. The 69-year-old singer was known for his long career in music. His constantly changing personas, such as Ziggy Stardust, Major Tom, and the Thin White Duke, consistently kept his career alive. Bowie had been diagnosed with liver cancer in late 2014, but kept it under wraps, according to the Daily Mail. Despite the cancer, Bowie was able to continue working, producing one last album. "Blackstar" was released two days before his death on Sunday, Jan. 10.
Even more shocking was the death of Alan Rickman, four days later. The 69-year-old actor, who started his film career at 42, is remember for bringing his great acting skills and rumbling voice in portraying memorable roles (Hans Gruber, Professor Snape, Metatron). Rickman was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer after suffering a stroke. Despite this grim fate, he kept it a secret and went about the rest of his days normally.
Two more actors died this week. The first was Brian Bedford. Bedford had a long storied career on the stage, with an expertise in Shakespeare. He also did some film work, such as Disney’s “Robin Hood,” “A Christmas Carol,” and “The Importance of Being Earnest.” He died Wednesday of cancer at his home in California, according to The Times. The second was Dan Haggerty. Haggerty was well known for his portrayal of Grizzly Adams, a nature-loving mountain man who trained animals. He portrayed Adams in film and television. Haggerty died Friday of spinal cancer, according to Fox News.
Singer Celine Dion was hit hard this week by two deaths. The first was her husband, Rene Angélil. Aside from being her husband, he served as her manager and guided her career. He passed away Thursday at age 73 of throat cancer, according to People Magazine. Her brother, Daniel, passed away Saturday of cancer. The cancer was found in his brain, throat and tongue, according to CNN. He was 59 years old.
The threat of cancer is not new. In 2014, 585,720 died of cancer. In 2015, 589,430 are estimated to have died, and 595,690 are predicted to die in 2016, according to the American Cancer Society. Celebrities dying in such rapid succession, however, is unnerving. It brings cancer into the spotlight. President Obama said in his recent State of the Union Address, “I want the country that eliminated polio and mapped the human genome to lead a new era of medicine, one that delivers the right treatment at the right time. In some patients with cystic fibrosis, this approach has reversed a disease once thought unstoppable.
So tonight, I’m launching a new precision medicine initiative to bring us closer to curing diseases like cancer and diabetes.” Let’s hope he or his successor have the ability to.
