Duran Duran legend shares devastating diagnosis
<p dir="ltr">The original guitarist of Rock n Roll band <em>Duran Duran</em> has announced that he was diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Andy Taylor was due to appear at the Hall of Fame ceremony at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles over the weekend but could not make it. </p>
<p dir="ltr">His fellow band members, singer Simon Le Bon, keyboardist Nick Rhodes, bassist John Taylor and drummer Roger Taylor, were being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, when they shared the devastating news via a letter that Andy wrote. </p>
<p dir="ltr">“Just over four years ago I was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic prostate cancer,” the letter read.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“Many families have experienced the slow burn of this disease and of course we are no different; so I speak from the perspective of a family man but with profound humility to the band, the greatest fans a group could have and this exceptional accolade.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“I have the ‘Rodgers and Edwards’ of doctors and medical treatment that until very recently allowed me to just rock on.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“Although my current condition is not immediately life-threatening there is no cure.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“Recently I was doing OK after some very sophisticated life-extending treatment, that was until a week or so ago when I suffered a setback, and despite the exceptional efforts of my team, I had to be honest in that both physically and mentally, I would be pushing my boundaries.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“However, none of this needs to or should detract from what this band (with or without me) has achieved and sustained for 44 years.”</p>
<p dir="ltr">He apologised to his fans saying he was “truly sorry and massively disappointed” that he could not attend but was “very proud” of his fellow band members. </p>
<p dir="ltr">“I often doubted the day would come. I’m sure as hell glad I’m around to see the day,” he ended the letter.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The ceremony was the first time that the band appeared together in 17 years and they performed<em> Girls On Film, Hungry Like the Wolf and Ordinary World.</em></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty</em></p>
