The 69-year-old is best known for being part of the ska band Madness, which had success in the 1980s with hits like Our House, It Must Be Love, and House Of Fun.
Foreman revealed today (Friday, August 29) that he had been diagnosed with myeloma.
This is a type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow.
In a post shared on the band’s social media channels, Foreman said: “Earlier this year I had severe pain in my upper back and shoulders. On the 28th of June we played a show in France and it had become unbearable.
“I had an MRI scan at the end of June and they found a tumour on my spine. On the 4th of July I went to the Royal Sussex and had all sorts of stuff done to me.
“I had radiotherapy which blasted it and stopped the pain. I actually had a Spinal Tap too – rock n roll! I wasn’t in good shape, to say the least. My kidneys were only at 14% function, which has greatly improved since then.
“What I’ve got is a form of cancer called myeloma. It’s treatable but not curable. When I get it into remission (I will!) I should be able to get back to normal life.”
Foreman added that the band and his family had been very supportive, and that it had been hard not to be onstage recently.
He added: “Some people have had this [myeloma] for 20 years or more. I have a long way to go before I get back onstage but I aim to be back next year.”
Foreman concluded: “It’s been really hard not being onstage with the band this year. They’ve worked really hard and the shows looked great.
“I don’t know how they did it without me, to be fair. I won’t be able to do Butlins or the tour this year, which is a great shame but ……”I’LL BE BACK!”
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What is myeloma?
Myeloma is a type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow, according to the NHS website.
It adds: “Bone marrow, which is found inside bones, is where blood cells are made.
“Myeloma happens when your bone marrow makes certain blood cells (plasma cells) that do not work properly.”
Additionally, it can affect other parts of the body, like the kidneys and the immune system.
Myeloma cannot usually be cured, but it can be managed with treatment.
