Bruce Springsteen’s Wife and Bandmate Reveals 6-Year Battle With ‘Challenging’ Diagnosis

Bruce Springsteen's wife and member of his E Street Band, Patti Scialfa, is opening up about her private health battle for the first time in nearly six years.

The admission came while filming for Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, a documentary chronicling the behind-the-scenes preparation for the band's 2023-2024 world tour.

In the film, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday, Sept. 8, the 71-year-old guitarist revealed that touring has "become a challenge" since she was diagnosed with multiple myeloma–a type of blood cancer–in 2018.

“I’ve been performing with this band for 40 years. With those first performances, it felt so good to be back onstage. Touring has become a challenge for me,” Scialfa shared in the documentary as reported by several outlets, including Variety and People.

“In 2018, well, Bruce and I were doing a play on Broadway," she said before explaining how her life has changed since receiving the diagnosis.

“This affects my immune system so I just have to be careful what I choose to do and where I choose to go,” Scialfa said. “Every once in a while, I come to a show or two and I can sing a few songs onstage, and that’s been a treat."

While she's had to take a step back from the limelight, Scialfa has settled into her "new normal" with grace, especially grateful for the special moments she gets to rejoin her husband of 33 years onstage for duets of her favorite songs, like “Fire,” a performance she describes as “very personal, in a way.”

“You can see a side of our relationship that you usually don’t get to see,” she added. “Being back onstage with Bruce is a blast. Every night at this tour gives the band a chance to celebrate.”

The singer-songwriter has been married to Springsteen since 1991, after meeting at a concert in the late '80s. The couple share three children: sons Evan, 34, and Sam, 30, and daughter Jessica, 32.

Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band begins streaming later this fall, premiering on Hulu and Disney+ on Friday, Oct. 25.

Next: Bruce Springsteen Issues Bold Response to Farewell Tour Rumors