David Johansen, co-founding member of the New York Dolls, has revealed he has stage 4 cancer and a brain tumor. First diagnosed a decade ago, Johansen decided to keep his stage 4 diagnosis private but wanted to share due to the financial burden of treatment and medical care following the 2020 diagnosis of a brain tumor. A Sweet Relief Fund has been set up to help Johansen.
“Five years ago at the beginning of the pandemic, we discovered that David’s cancer had progressed and he had a brain tumor,” wrote Johansen’s daughter Leah Hennessy. “There have been complications ever since. He’s never made his diagnosis public, as he and my mother Mara are generally very private people, but we feel compelled to share this now, due to the increasingly severe financial burden our family is facing.”
In November 2024, the day after Thanksgiving, Johansen also fell and broke his back in two places, which required surgery but he was still left bedridden and incapacitated and now requires 24-hour care.
The Sweet Relief Fund will help Johansen with full-time nursing, physical therapy, and funding for day-to-day vital living expenses. “With professional specialized care, the Johansen family remains hopeful that David can regain some mobility and independence,” according to a press release. Along with any donations, Sweet Relief is also offering a special David Johansen T-shirt with proceeds going directly to his fund.
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“Due to the trauma, David’s illness has progressed exponentially and my mother is caring for him around the clock,” added Hennessey. “To continue his treatment and give him the best chance of recovery, David and Mara will need full-time assistance. As hilarious and wise as David continues to be, he is physically debilitated and his care exceeds what we are capable of providing without specialized professional help.”
Hennessey added, “David has worked continuously as a singer and actor for the better part of six decades, to the delight of his fans all over the world. However, for the past five years, David has been unable to work as a performer.”
“We’ve been living with my illness for a long time, still having fun, seeing friends and family, carrying on, but this tumble the day after Thanksgiving really brought us to a whole new level of debilitation,” said Johansen in a statement. “This is the worst pain I’ve ever experienced in my entire life. I’ve never been one to ask for help, but this is an emergency. Thank you.”
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Aric Steinberg, Executive Director at Sweet Relief Musicians Fund added, “Sweet Relief is honored to help David and his family during this difficult time in their lives. Our Directed Artist Funds can provide a meaningful solution when the community rallies around the recipient, and we anticipate that David’s community will be eager to help here. His influence on the musical landscape with the New York Dolls is indelible, and his career as an actor and an artist has touched many people around the world. He’s been knocked down but we’re here to help him back up with the help of his family, friends, and wider community of supporters.”
Johansen was recently the subject of Martin Scorsese and David Tedeschi’s 2023 documentary Personality Crisis: One Night Only, a look behind Johansen’s life and career as the lead singer and songwriter of the New York Dolls, the David Johansen band, and under his ’80s persona as Buster Poindexter. Johansen also formed the Harry Smiths in 2002, performing the music of Howlin’ Wolf, the Band’s Levon Helm, and Hubert Sumlin.
In the summer of 2024, Johansen also held an exhibition of his artwork at Elliot Templeton Fine Arts Gallery in New York City.
Donate to David Johansen’s Sweet Relief fund here.
Photo: David Johansen performs during the 34th Annual John Lennon Tribute Benefit Concert at Symphony Space on December 5, 2014 in New York City. (Noam Galai/WireImage)
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