It’s about time we heard some good goddamn news. Lou Koller, the vocalist for New York hardcore band Sick Of It All, was diagnosed was esophageal cancer earlier this year. The prognosis caused the band to quite obviously cancel their 2024 tour dates for Koller to get treatment and recover as much as possible. This past Friday, September 27, Koller shared an update on his progress, and it was all good. He’s finished his final round of chemotherapy before he goes into surgery, and we couldn’t be more happy for him.
He joyfully shared the update in a video on the band’s Instagram, and it was met with nothing but positivity. Here’s what the video said, as transcribed by Lambgoat:
“Hey, everybody. Lou here. I just wanna give you a quick update. Today was chemo session number four, last of the pre-surgery chemos. So now I have a month till the surgery, which is on October 24th. So far I feel okay. Little dizzy, little tired, body aches, same thing that happens all the time. Have my take-home pack of chemo right here. Mm-hmm. See, I get a bonus every time. I wear it for 24 hours and they then they take it out tomorrow. This is the one that really messes me up. So after tomorrow, I will be useless for, like, four or five days. So that’s that.
“I’m really thankful that you guys sold out the benefit show that quickly. The lineup is insane. It’s gonna be an amazing show. I don’t know if I can be there. Depends on how much I healed after the surgery. It’s gonna be a good time in between the surgery and the show. But also, my doctor’s advice was, ‘Don’t test your immune system in that environment.’ What are you gonna do?
“But, like I said, I’m doing good. I got a lot of chemo side effects, like numbness in my fingertips, losing hair… At least I got my eyebrows still… And I got my eyelashes.
“I miss my hair. I hate looking in the mirror. I scare myself in the bathroom at night, like, ‘Who the hell’s that guy?’
“Anyway, just messing around. I hope you are all doing good. And thank you for supporting me and Sick Of It All.
“I know Craig’s out on the road with Marky Ramone, so go see that. And I think he might be doing some shows with Judge. Just write to the guys — write to Armand and Craig — and tell ’em hello. Keep their spirits up too. I’m doing all right.
“All right, guys. Thanks. And take care of each other.”
The band started a GoFundMe to help with Koller’s medical costs, which has since made $305,620 of its $200,000 goal. We’re so stoked for Koller, and hope the news keeps getting better.
