Jimmy Buffett and Bret Michaels were good friends until Jimmy’s death from skin cancer earlier this year. The Margaritaville icon suffered from a rare form of skin cancer, Merkel skin carcinoma, for four years, and this raised concerns for Michaels about a spot on his stomach.
Michaels revealed that cancer cells were discovered after the biopsy, and thanks to early detection, his doctors helped remove the affected parts. “Most of what I thought was bad ended up being good, and the one I thought was good ended up not being good. So we biopsied, went in immediately, and right now, everything’s looking great,” he said on an iHeart radio show.
Michaels is more careful about his health
Micheals is now more keen on his well-being, including his time in the sun, as it comes with cancer risks. He also prioritizes sunscreen and yearly medical checkups to ensure the cancer does not reoccur. “I’m a believer that if you applied once— this is old-school thinking— if I cover this once in the morning, I’m sure after 12 hours in the sun, it’s still working,” he said about his use of sun protection. “And it turns out I was wrong. It turns out that my information was incorrect.”
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Michael has previously suffered other health issues, including a brain hemorrhage and a minor stroke over a decade ago, a hole in the heart shortly after, and kidney problems in 2014. The Poison singer has been type 1 diabetic since childhood as well. Despite his tough time with his body, Michael praised his “unbroken, fighting, positive spirit”’ for seeing him through.
Active at 60
The iconic performer has managed to stay active, gracing shows and going on tours amidst the threats to his health. “I haven’t changed… I feel more energetic and grateful. With all of the crazy diabetes and the brain hemorrhage, I’ve been through a lot of adversity, and I’m still here,” he told USA Today.
When he is not on the road, Michaels starts his day in Arizona by checking his blood sugar, taking insulin, and then spending some time with family or outside on his mountain bike. “I need to kick out the rust and the dust. I like having a good time, but I don’t fool myself,” he added. The rocker is set to do his next Poison tour in 2025 with new releases after spending most of summer 2022 on the road.