Patti Scialfa, wife of Bruce Springsteen and a member of the E Street Band, has revealed that she has been battling cancer for several years. In the new documentary Rock Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, Scialfa disclosed her diagnosis of multiple myeloma in 2018.
“This affects my immune system, so I have to be careful about what I do and where I go,” Scialfa shared. While she occasionally joins her husband on stage, she has chosen to step back from touring.
Scialfa also expressed a desire to spend more time with her granddaughter, Lily, who was born in July 2022, and to focus on her solo album. “I didn’t feel as needed because there were a lot of musicians on stage,” she explained.
She noted that working on her album became possible while Bruce was in the studio. “I took that opportunity to work on my record,” Scialfa said.
Springsteen himself has faced health issues recently, postponing his 2023 tour dates due to peptic ulcer disease and again in 2024 due to vocal problems.