In some very heart-breaking news, the lead singer of boy-band The Wanted, Tom Parker, 32, has been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour.
Today, the singer explained on Instagram that the reason he and his wife Kelsey Hardwick had been quiet for a few weeks on social media, was because they were grappling with the diagnosis.
“We decided, after a lot of thought, that rather than hiding away and trying to keep it (the diagnosis) a secret, we would do one interview where we could lay out all the details and let everyone know the facts in our own way,” Parker wrote.
“We are all absolutely devastated but we are gonna fight this all the way. We don’t want your sadness, we just want love and positivity and together we will raise awareness of this terrible disease and look for all available treatment options.”
In the tell all interview with OK! Magazine, Parker said that he was in “complete shock” about the diagnosis.
“I knew something wasn’t right, but I never expected it to be this. You never think this will happen to you,” Parker said to the publication.
“It has been a crazy six weeks. We had an inkling that something was wrong in July, but we never could have imagined it was this,” Hardwick added.
According to the couple, Parker began radiotherapy and chemotherapy last week at King’s College Hospital in London, and will continue to be treated for another five weeks.
The cancer is terminal but the couple asked not to have a prognosis as it may prompt them to “count down the days” and they want to remain positive.
“I need everyone’s love and positivity. I am going to fight this,” the singer said.
“We are already exploring alternative treatments and looking at clinical trials both here and abroad, and our friends have been doing research.”
The family were on holiday when Parker had a seizure prompting by an MRI scan, which revealed that he had a “stage four glioblastoma” (brain tumour).
The other members of The Wanted have been a “huge source of comfort”, according to the couple.
Devastating, devastating news.
