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Raul Malo has been in the headlines plenty across the past couple months as he has bravely battled cancer, and this week is supposed to be a big one for him because he is slated to have an important surgery.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s not the only reason it is a big week for Malo, though.<\/p>\n
Thursday was the popular country music singer\u2019s birthday, and it was a milestone one at that as he turned 60. <\/p>\n
\u201cPlease join us in wishing a HAPPY BIRTHDAY to El Maestro himself Mr. (Raul Malo),\u201d the band wrote on its Instagram<\/b>.<\/a> \u201cWe love ya brother!\u201d<\/p>\n Fans chimed in to send love and well-wishes, too. <\/p>\n The Mavericks wrapped up a slate last week of playing 22 cities across 30 days, and Malo reminded fans in a post about that of his surgery coming this week. <\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll keep you all updated after next week\u2019s surgery,\u201d he wrote.<\/b><\/a> <\/b>\u201cThank you all for your good wishes. Have a great rest of summer. Love to all. See you all down the road\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n The surgery is key for him as he continues his battle against cancer which he first shared with fans last summer.<\/p>\n Also, following Malo\u2019s post, the band also put out a statement announcing that it would miss an event early next year while Malo undergoes another surgery for a hernia. That post also shed some light on the hopeful timeline for the singer to get through his battle against the disease.<\/p>\n \u201cHey everyone, due to Raul\u2019s upcoming treatment schedule, The Mavericks\u2019 will unfortunately no longer be a part of the Sandy Beaches Cruise 2026,\u201d the band said in a statement. \u201cNext January, RM will undergo hernia surgery to repair complications from a previous operation. The recovery time following this procedure will require us to take the first couple months of 2026 off for him to rest & recuperate and hopefully be the final hurdle in his cancer treatment.<\/p>\n \u201cThe decision was not made lightly, and we apologize for any disappointment or inconvenience this may cause,\u201d he continued. \u201cYour continued support means the world to us, and we are deeply grateful for your understanding during this time. Thank you for your patience and kindness. We hope to sail with you all again soon. \u2013 The Mavericks.\u201d<\/p>\n Fans were supportive of that move.<\/p>\n \u201cThe right decision,\u201d one person responded. \u201cSending prayers of medical wisdom, comfort and healing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDefinitely a wise decision, and health is paramount,\u201d another wrote. \u201cI wish you all the best, recovery, and good health.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe decision was not made lightly, and we apologize for any disappointment or inconvenience this may cause,\u201d he continued. \u201cYour continued support means the world to us, and we are deeply grateful for your understanding during this time. Thank you for your patience and kindness. We hope to sail with you all again soon. \u2013 The Mavericks.\u201d<\/p>\n Fans were supportive of that move.<\/p>\n \u201cThe right decision,\u201d one person responded. \u201cSending prayers of medical wisdom, comfort and healing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDefinitely a wise decision, and health is paramount,\u201d another wrote. \u201cI wish you all the best, recovery, and good health.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy sinus infection literally brought me to my knees,\u201d he added. \u201cI had never felt headaches like that. I went to a specialist. Got it taken care of but the residual results are numbing of the left side of my face. Neurologist said it will repair over time. The damage is not permanent and not visible. A little drooling here and there … oh well.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPerspective: I\u2019m alive.\u201d<\/p>\n Malo continued to lay out his physical situation.<\/p>\n \u201cThe abdominal hernia has been the most challenging in all of this,\u201d he wrote. \u201cFirst of all it\u2019s very visible. And at times it has been really painful. Most of the time it\u2019s just really uncomfortable as I have to wear this hernia belt around my abdomen to help keep my insides in place \u2026 ugh! I\u2019ve basically been turned into a drooling, farting potato \u2026 sigh.<\/p>\n \u201cPerspective: I\u2019m alive.\u201d<\/p>\n He then talked about the road ahead.<\/p>\n \u201cI say all this because I want those that are going through this to know that challenges will arise,\u201d he wrote. \u201cYou will have your own. The fact that I can go onstage helps keep me focused on the end game. My colon surgery has been scheduled for August. The hernia will be repaired later on in the year as that will require a bit more recovery time. 16 rounds of chemo have done what they\u2019re made to do \u2026 kill cancer. I\u2019m not out of the woods yet but I\u2019m on the way. First pic is from my last round of chemo. Then per usual I go for a drive in the countryside while listening to Pavarotti while driving a little over the speed limit. My wife Betty, makes a delicious Spanish omelet (my favorite) as the Mediterranean diet helps keep you healthy. For all those fighting this fight \u2026 hang in there. We got this! RM\u201d<\/p>\n Malo shared some good news back in March, too.<\/p>\n \u201cReceived some great news this week and I wanted to share,\u201d he wrote on the band\u2019s Instagram back then. \u201cMy doctors are thrilled with my progress so far, hernia and all. All my scans so far have come back clear including the PET scan from last week. All my vital signs are excellent as well. We\u2019ll know the next steps in the next week or so. Doctors will review all the scans and data and they\u2019ll determine the next steps.\u201d<\/p>\n Malo spent time in the hospital in January after developing the hernia. He also announced in January that he had surgery on Dec. 10 to remove a tumor from his liver.<\/p>\n Malo announced his diagnosis last June in an Instagram video.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the last couple of years, we out here on the road, we have been on a health kick,\u201d he said. \u201cTreating ourselves a little better. Taking care out ourselves a little better, and really trying to do all the right things as far as nutrition, etc. So, part of the health journey is to get yourself checked out. Go to a doctor, take a physical and start there.\u201d<\/p>\n Malo said that is what he did.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd that led to another appointment with a gastrointestinal specialist, which led to a CAT scan,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd that proved to show two cancerous spots.\u201d<\/p>\n He has fought the disease bravely since, and now brings another big week for him as he continue to try to free himself of it for good.<\/p>\n If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement<\/a> and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and\/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n