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
DiGiorno Releases Thanksgiving Pizza
DiGiorno is offering a pizza with toppings that include turkey, big chunks of turkey, sweet potatoes, green beans, cranberries, crispy onions and gravy.
Ryan Gosling Stars in 'The Fall Guy'
The upcoming movie, 'The Fall Guy,' stars Ryan Gosling as a stunt man who has to locate a missing movie star all while solving a major conspiracy.
What's Premiering in Theaters Friday
If you're looking for plans this weekend, we've got you covered since there are a few fun movies hitting theaters first up. Cheddar News has more.
One Good Thing: Accidental 911 Call Ends in A Hug
The story started as an accidental 911 call, but then it ended up in a hug. The Hillsborough County Sheriff's office in Florida responded to a 911 call from a young boy who wasn't facing any emergency. Instead, he was asking to give police a hug.
Load More