While known for being the lead singer of the band Shooting Star, Ronnie Platt eventually joined the rock band Kansas after Steve Walsh decided to retire. Taking over the vocals, Platt even helmed keyboards for the group and appeared on the album The Prelude Implicit. Outside of his career on the stage, Platt spent time reflecting on his own life after he learned he suffered from cancer. Not allowing the news to keep him down, Platt decided to fight the cancer and recently offered some amazing news about his battle.
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During a recent conversation on the UCR Podcast, Platt admitted the moment scared him as he knew nothing about fighting cancer. But barely two months after revealing his thyroid cancer, the singer looked ahead to his recovery.
When Platt learned about the cancer, he took the necessary steps and sought a second opinion from Dr. Peter Angelos at the University of Chicago. But sadly, he couldn’t get an appointment with the doctor until the middle of April. That all changed thanks to a former bandmate of his, Frank Sintich. While sharing the stage in the 80s band Chaser, Sintich’s girlfriend happened to work for the doctor.
Jumping forward a few weeks and Platt found himself in the company of the doctor who believed the cancer came from radiation therapy he received as a child due to a birthmark. While the cancer was slow-moving, the doctor explained the singer would need to live to be 150 years old before it impacted his life.
[RELATED: The Story Behind the Autobiographical Kansas Hit “Carry On Wayward Son”]
Ronnie Platt Ready To Get Back To Work
Besides not wanting to take any chances, Platt moved ahead with the surgery. While remembering the entire ordeal, he said, “It was just crazy how everything [eventually] fell into place so seamlessly.” Platt continued, “You know, [they’ve got] good drugs in them hospitals. [Platt chuckles]. The next thing I know, I’m waking up in the recovery room. All the doctor had to do is take the nodule. I still have my thyroid. It’s unbelievable. I think I was awake for an hour in the recovery room and I walked [out]. I didn’t take a wheelchair. I walked the length of that hospital to the parking garage.”
With Platt believing the cancer would control his life, he considered himself extremely lucky. “When I think about other friends who have gone through things like chemotherapy and being sick all of the time. I haven’t gone through that and I feel very lucky. I really feel lucky that Mother Nature sent me up a flag.”
As for the future, Platt isn’t ready to step off the stage just yet. “Here we are, 20 days [after] my surgery and I’m going to be back to work April 4 in Ivins, Utah. It’s just amazing.”
(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
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