Judas Priest vocalist Rob Halford has opened up on his battle with prostate cancer, which took place amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Speaking with Consequence, Halford stated:
“I had my little cancer battle a year ago, which I got through and that’s in remission now, thank God. That happened while we were all locked down, so things happen for a reason as far as time sequence of events. I have nothing but gratitude to be at this point in my life, still doing what I love the most.”
Halford also opened up further on his diagnosis and treatment—which took place in the spring of 2020—in an a newly added chapter to the revised paperback edition of his 2020 memoir, ‘Confess‘. Halford successfully underwent a prostatectomy on July 05th of 2020, only to find out that more cancer had been found around his prostate earlier this year, leading to radiation treatment in April and May. He was given the all clear in June and is in remission, but later was diagnosed with a tumor on his appendix, leading to an appendectomy.
He said of his experiences:
“It’s been a draining year, I can’t deny it, but I’m delighted to have come through it. I feel like I’ve had the most thorough MOT that a Metal God can have.”
Halford‘s revelation follows a nearly fatal health scare the band endured last month, when their guitarist Richie Faulkner suffered an aortic aneurysm while performing onstage at this year’s ‘Louder Than Life‘ festival. He has since underwent extensive open heart surgery and continues to recover.
