Sad news will inevitably persist, even if it is a brand new year. Late last spring, we found out Warbeast vocalist Bruce Corbitt was forced to retire from singing due to cancer of the esophagus. Corbitt, his family, and friends remained positive during his treatments, in hopes he would beat the disease.
Last summer, the group released their latest album, Enter the Arena, which will officially be Corbitt’s final effort. Additionally, the singer had his last performance last May along with the band having their own farewell show back in July. Unfortunately, last week, while everyone was enjoying their holiday break, Corbitt shared unfortunate news that his treatment was unsuccessful. His surgeon informed him that there’s no hope to beat cancer, and he’s got about a year left. The singer’s family and friends are asking for everyone to help with his medical expenses and, donations can be made here.
Read Corbitt’s full statement below:
“Dear EVERYONE!
I did my best to make myself and everyone else proud of me during this fight with Cancer. I’m not saying I’m giving up fighting when I report my results and prognosis. I will continue to fight until my last breath! I will also continue to try other cures besides those the specialists have tried.
Anyway, I was also just told by my surgeon that there is no hope for me to beat this now. That’s 3 specialists that have all tried to find some way of still curing me after these recent scan results… and all 3 agree we can’t win now. I knew my surgeon would be the one to give me any hope at all if there was any at all… but he just couldn’t do it. He says his guess is it could be anywhere from 2 months to maybe 2 years…. living one year would be lucky. But of course no one can predict how fast this cancer will continue to spread and eventually kill me.
What has happened is the cancer has spread into numerous lymph nodes around my Kidneys since the surgery 3 ½ months ago. It will continue to spread to other lymph nodes and then to my organs… we can only guess which one/ones that will be. Also there is some fluid in my left lung that could be benign or malignant.
The specialists have talked over options like doing more chemo, or more radiation…. or both and then surgery… or just chemo and then surgery. But the surgeon admitted this would probably do more harm than good to remove these Lymph nodes… and it wouldn’t be a cure… or even guarantee I would live any longer. He said in his opinion I should take a little time to think about it. Then his 2 choices he suggested were that I just not do anything and try to live as good of life as I can in my time left. Or the other suggestion was to try one round of chemo and see if I can handle it.
Remember I’m still very weak from this surgery and this time the chemo would be way more intense than the chemo he used on me months ago. Then if I can handle doing all the rounds of chemo… and a new scan showed it had done some good to the lymph nodes… then he would consider doing the surgery to remove them. But he said that the chances of that were like only 10% and that it still wouldn’t guarantee a longer life… or a much longer. So for those of you that are still wanting to have some kind of miracle… there is some slim and none hope left.
Now they are also checking to see if my health insurance will cover me trying to go to MD Anderson in Houston for a few days to get a 2nd opinion and see if they have any other options. But my surgeon said they will just offer these same options… especially trying to give me chemo. But of course of insurance covers it… I will try anything. Just like I will continue to try cannabis oil and other types of cures some people believe in.
Yes I’m in shock, devastated, discouraged, depressed, angry, upset etc. I fought so hard for 7 months. But I’ve only felt good maybe 3 weeks out of those 7 months. So my decision will take that into consideration. Because they are ready to start doing treatments very soon. But here I am in the last 2 weeks just now starting to feel better from the surgery… but still VERY WEAK. I still get winded very easily… so I’m probably still 2 or 3 months away from full recovery. So am I able mentally and physically to start over again with even more intense radiation and chemo etc.? I honestly don’t know!
I may not have won this fight… but I did beat it longer than most would have. I got some extra time in life. I couldn’t have done it without my beautiful wife Jeanna Corbitt! The hardest part for me is just knowing that I will have to leave her. Seriously thanks all of you for believing in me and fighting hard right by my side. I know you will respect my decision on whether I continue anymore treatments or if I just live out the rest of my life.
I may not get to finish my goals now… the book, the 2nd part of the Rigor documentary etc. But I’m still proud of everything I did accomplish as far as reaching other goals and dreams in my life. If I’m very lucky…. Maybe I will return to the stage one last time on April 21st… the night I renew my vows with Jeanna. That is one dream I hope I don’t have to give up too.
So my friends… I admit I’m the last person ready to accept I’m going to die from this cancer. I love life so much! It’s hard to even concentrate on anything right now… time just goes so fast as it is. But it’s really going to go so fast for me now. I hope I get to spend some quality time with all of my friends before I go. Probably while I’m feeling decent is the best chance. Down the road I may get too sick to wanna see too many people. I know y’all will understand that too… if and when that time comes. I’m very thankful for having such a great Christmas and even a party on my Birthday last week. That night I will never forget…. I was feeling and looking good. I was so happy to see so many friends… and for that one night we were ALL were convinced I had beaten cancer. Thanks again y’all for throwing that party for me.
FUCK CANCER and FUCK 2017!!!!”
