Mark Hoppus celebrated the Fourth of July by sharing a new photo showing his hair loss during his ongoing cancer battle.
The Blink-182 frontman is completely bald in the selfie, which was snapped as he enters his fourth month of chemotherapy. Hoppus – who is rocking a Gucci tee and shades along with a giant smile – also looks noticeably thinner in the picture, which he took as he sat by the pool at his Los Angeles property.
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Hoppus, 49, announced his cancer diagnosis in June, first posting and then deleting a photo of himself on his Instagram after receiving chemotherapy before tweeting a short statement.
“For the past three months I've been undergoing chemotherapy for cancer. I have cancer. It sucks, and I'm scared, and at the same time I'm blessed with incredible doctors and family and friends to get me through this," wrote Hoppus.
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"I still have months of treatment ahead of me but I'm trying to remain hopeful and positive."
He closed out by telling his friends he was excited to one day be cancer-free and see them all at a concert in the "near future."
Hoppus had posted a photo of himself in sandals and blue hospital socks at the hospital a few hours prior to sending out his tweet, which read: "Yes hello. One cancer treatment please." He was also holding his Playstation remote.
That was then removed, but not before a number of fans had retweeted and shared the news.
It is still unclear what kind of cancer Hoppus is battling, and his rep did not respond to a request for comment.
Hoppus started Blink-182 in 1992 with friends Tom DeLonge and Scott Raynor. They signed a deal and were able to put out their first album in 1997, but shot to international stardom in 1999 with the release of Enema of the State.
Hoppus, DeLonge, and new drummer Travis Barker remained together for the next six years before splitting due to tensions in the band. They got back together in 2009, but that reunion was brief and Hoppus is now the only original member still in the band.
He married his wife, Skye, in 2000 and the couple has one son, Jack. Hoppus has also long maintained a healthy lifestyle. He would often be seen going for runs near his home in London and was a longtime vegetarian, two things that set him apart from the famously-faded forefathers of rock.
Cancer had already hit close to home for Hoppus before his diagnosis, with his longtime friend and Blink-182 bandmate DeLonge announcing last year that he was also battling the disease after being diagnosed with skin cancer.
Cancer Screenings Are Critical
An early diagnosis is the best tool an individual has when fighting cancer, and the best way to catch the disease early is by getting screened. Individuals who attend their recommended screenings have the benefit of a medical expert closely checking for signs of cancer in the earliest stages. This can lead to more effective and less invasive treatment options as well as a higher likelihood of entering remission.
Cancer screening recommendations can vary depending on the type of cancer, and your risk factors, so it is important to pay attention to guidelines.
It is recommended that people with average risk get colorectal cancer screenings starting at age 45 and continue until 75-years-old. With breast cancer, guidelines recommend women with average risk should have annual mammograms between the ages of 45 and 54. The Centers for Disease Control also recommends that Americans be screened for cervical cancer and, if they believe they are at high risk, lung cancer.
Individuals should not only pay attention to these guidelines but also push for screenings if they feel that something is wrong.
What Patients Who Delayed Cancer Screenings Should Do Now
With COVID-vaccination programs achieving success in many parts of the country and life heading toward greater normalcy, many in the United States are thinking about healthcare unrelated to the pandemic. And they should be, because many aspects of health maintenance took a significant hit in the last year.
"We know that cancer has not gone away just because we're in the middle of a pandemic," Dr. Elizabeth Comen, medical oncologist, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, told SurvivorNet in a previous interview. "Fortunately, now that we have a little bit of a better hold on how to protect patients, how to disinfect, how to clean in between patients and scatter so that we're not crowding our waiting rooms, it's really, really important to remember to talk to your doctor about your screening mammogram or any other preventative tests that you may need."
The Benefit of Support Networks for Cancer Patients
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
