“I will get a lung biopsy and start radiation soon,” Walker said in a public statement posted to his Instagram account. “I wish I had more information to share, but I’m still waiting to meet with a radiology oncologist following my biopsy surgery.”
Walker has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help with the cost of critical medical care.
“I have a hard time asking for help, even when I believe it will be given happily," he wrote. "I’m launching a GoFundMe that will allow me to focus exclusively on my health and relationships during this precious time.”
Walker first learned of his cancer on the way to the airport, shortly before boarding a flight to LA for his electrifying Jimmy Kimmel Live! performance of Lizzo’s “Cuz I Love You” on Dec. 5. Since then he’s been fighting the disease while refusing to cancel scheduled shows and spending his downtime between chemo treatments on songwriting.
The illness struck Walker during a time of major career momentum. In the last few years, he’s performed on The Tonight Show and CBS Saturday Morning and he sang the national anthem at the U.S. Formula 1 Grand Prix in 2021 (the same year he made Rolling Stone’s “Best Of” list). SPIN magazine has called him “one of country’s most exciting storytellers.”
“When times are hard my instinct is to figure out how to survive financially,” Walker says. “I work harder to ensure that me and my loved ones will have basic necessities. This trait has been very useful in life, but it makes it hard to rest when life’s difficulties aren’t solely monetary.”
Walker’s fundraising goal is set at $300,000. So far $6,965 has been donated since the GoFundMe was launched at 7 a.m. Tuesday.
Walker is optimistic despite the challenges ahead. “I’ve always lived life to the fullest, and I will continue to do so,” he wrote.
And for those sending donations, he has a message, “I thank everyone so much in advance for their continued love and support.”
