Knack’s Fieger Battling Cancer

“Everybody is in the same spot,” the 57-year-old Fieger told his hometown newspaper, the Detroit News, during a phone interview while resting in his Southern California home. “I just know there is something that will potentially end my time here.”

Fieger’s first bout with cancer occurred in 2004 when surgeons removed a portion of his lung. Thinking the problem was solved, Fieger continued to do the occasional Knack date, and it was while performing with the band two years ago in Las Vegas that he realized he had forgotten the words to “My Sharona.” Since then, doctors determined Fieger suffered from more than 20 brain tumors.

As with many cancer patients, the treatment is often more painful than the disease. Fieger told the News that he’s “weak but pain-free” and that the treatment had taken its toll on him, causing him to decline further therapy.

He’s also dropped a lot of weight. His ex-wife, Mia, has been taking care of him and the singer credits her with helping him push his weight back up to 140 pounds, which isn’t all that much when you’re six feet tall.

But no matter what happens, Fieger is pretty philosophical about it all, saying he’s led a good life and that’s he’s been sober for 26 years.

And he’s still somewhat optimistic.

“My grandmother from Brooklyn used to come visit my family in Oak Park for the summer,” Fieger told the News, saying she was once diagnosed with cancer and given three years to live.

“She lived 21 more years,” Fieger said, “and didn’t die of cancer. So you can never tell.”

Click here to read the complete Detroit News article.