Carman Licciardello's Cancer is Back and Calls for Urgent Prayers

Veteran Gospel music singer Carman Licciardello, or more commonly known as Carman, announces that his cancer is back for the second time. Licciardello was diagnosed with incurable myeloma cancer in 2013 and defied the odds after nine months of chemotherapy. But after six years in remission, it has returned.

Here's Licciardello's message and his urgent call for prayers:  

"I was diagnosed with incurable multiple Myelona cancer. After 9 months of chemotherapy Doctors said the average remission was 9 years. A year ago January, the oncologist told me my Myeloma markers were spiking. Meaning, that In all this time I had no signs of cancer and in complete remission, but now the tests tell us 17% of the cancer is back. 9 years reduced to 6 years.

So for 5 months and between 5 heart stent operations, I tried a few different cancer treatments that failed. My doctor retired from Mt. Siani in NYC and sent me back UAMS in Arkansas, to the new Wonderman of myeloma, Dr. Frits VanRhee, who decided to try combining medicines and take a more aggressive approach.

Since last July I've been on the more advanced medicine and getting chemo shots in my stomach every Tuesday. That really hurts. They added a type of steroid, which bloats you up. So I immediately gained 20 pounds of water weight I couldn't get rid of. (Ugh) Now this week I'm back in Little Rock after faithfully following this regimen for 7 months to see if this new approach has worked. I also will go into surgery on Tuesday for a bone biopsy. That's where they drill in your hip for a piece of bone to see if there's any signs of cancer. Wow, what a week.

So please pray, because I can't quit, I can't stop fighting and I still trust God to have his perfect will done in the end. But I can't do it without your prayers and support. Sunday January 19th is my birthday and what I really want is a cancer free body. I'll let you know as soon as I know. You're friend and fellow soldier in Christ still fighting the good fight." 

In 1980, Carmen made a custom album titled God's Not Finished with Me. The following year, he was invited by Bill Gaither to tour with The Bill Gaither Trio. After relocating to Tulsa, Oklahoma, he released a moderately successful eponymous debut album (later issued as Some-o-Dat) in 1982 - which contained mostly novelty songs. Then, with the release of the live album Sunday's On The Way in 1983, a string of CCM chart successes started, beginning with the title song.

As he continued his music career, Carman established the nonprofit organization Carman Ministries. With the 1985 release of The Champion came his first number-one song, of the same name. Then 1989 brought Carman his first number one album, Revival in the Land.

Between 1987 and 1989, he was named Charisma magazine's readers' choice for favorite male vocalist. In 1990 and 1992, Billboard recognized Carman's influence in Christian music by naming him the Contemporary Christian Artist of the Year, and in 1995, he recorded his first album in Spanish, Lo Mejor, which includes some of the already recorded songs such as "Who's in the House" and "The River". 

 

 

 

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