Carman Shares His Battle With Cancer in Online Letter
Christian music pioneer Carman was diagnosed with terminal cancer and being told he had three to five years to live, but he is not letting it keep him down as he recently shared his battle story with fans.
Carman spoke of coming to a flight of stairs with his personal trainer where UFC fighters run. He took the opportunity to make a metaphor for life in it.
"It looked like the road ahead of me. All uphill, intimidating and way over my head. So I tried to run up it and got about halfway before my lungs felt like they were going to burst," he said in a story he wrote to fans.
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He went on to speak about his cancer and the strength and encouragement he has gotten from his fans through their donating to his KickStarter project.
"These stairs now represent writing 10 new songs, taking two handfuls of daily meds, going into the studio for 2 months, cleaning my blood cells, building up my cardio, planning out a tour for the first time in 13 years, having enough stamina to complete these tasks, and not failing everyone by relapsing -- never allowing failure as an option," Carman wrote.
The campaign was started on on April with the goal to raise $200,000 for the legend to return to the studio for the first time in 10 years and also make his first video in that time span.
It only took 25 days for his fans to respond, and have thus far exceeded the goal with the total up to $233,000. This number brings the Kickstarter to the second most money raised on the site ever.
The fans are excited to watch the campaign continue to grow as they try to make it number one with Carman returning the favor in special gifts.
"You become part of the team by joining me, in any one of 14 different levels of giving. For each level you will receive a special gift of appreciation from me. No matter where your at in your faith your finances or both, there's a level for you to participate," his Kickstarter says.
Carman is taking the prayers and support from his fans and using it as fuel to fight his cancer by announcing a 60-city, 28-state tour to support the new album.
Tickets go on sale July 1, and he is offering limited 500 tickets for each stop on the tour on Kickstarter. According to a press release, backers who donate $100 will receive two VIP concert tickets plus the single and video a month before the street date of the album, a t-shirt, and an autographed "Game Changers" CD.
Carman has multiple myeloma cancer, a form of cancer of the a blood that affects bone marrow.
The singer has 16 platinum and gold albums and 10 million albums sold, with attendance records for a solo Christian artist.
"These comments and so many more have been my lifeline. God bless all of you that have given me and my ministry new life," Carman said in closing.
Click here to see Carman's Kickstarter site.
