Andrew McMahon was surging to stardom in 2005, but at the same time that his singing career was taking off, he was hit with a leukemia diagnosis. He has since gone on to recover from the disease and now advocates for others suffering from cancer. 

McMahon said that at the time of his diagnosis, his career and fame didn't matter much but that he was focused on his health. "It was a very difficult time, but I think I had amazing support from family and friends," he explained. "When you get sick like that, everything just recedes into the background." He credited his sister's stem cell donation for helping with his fast-tracked recovery. 

Since then, he launched the Dear Jack Foundation that focuses on providing young cancer patients with programs that can help improve their quality of life. McMahon said he realized that some charities he had been working with weren't meeting the needs of the adolescents and young adults so he ended up taking matters into his own hands.

"Part of the reason is that we focus on this young adult bracket, which is 15 to 39 years of age, is that it is a particularly tricky time to go through this," he said.

Share:
More In Culture
How to Save on Holiday Decorations
As people start decorating for the holiday season, it can get a bit pricey with expenses getting in the way. Jen Anderson of Metropolitan Farm spoke with Janice Lieberman about how you can save on those decorations.
Artists Praised in Kennedy Center Honors
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden attended the Kennedy Center's annual honors gala. The 2023 honorees included the Bee Gees' Barry Gibb, comedian and actor Billy Crystal, opera singer Renee Fleming, rapper and actress Queen Latifah, and singer Dion Warwick.
New Music Friday
It won't be Friday without some new music to listen to this weekend.
Load More