Patti Scialfa, who is not only Bruce Springsteen’s wife but also a member of the E Street Band, has opened up about her ongoing fight against cancer over the last few years. In Springsteen’s latest documentary, Rock Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, which debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, Scialfa disclosed that she was diagnosed with multiple myeloma back in 2018.

The singer-songwriter shared with Variety that her diagnosis has made touring with her husband and the E Street Band challenging, leading her to make the tough choice to take a step back.

“This impacts my immune system, so I need to be cautious about my activities and the places I visit,” she explained. “Occasionally, I manage to attend a show or two and perform a few songs, which has been a wonderful experience. This is my new normal, and I’m at peace with it.”

Scialfa shared with the Asbury Park Press that she chose to perform just a few shows on Springsteen’s ongoing tour, which kicked off in February 2023. Her decision was influenced by her desire to spend more quality time with her granddaughter, Lily Springsteen, born in July 2022, as well as to focus on her solo album.
“I didn’t feel as needed in a way because there were a lot of musicians on stage,” the guitarist said. “I did the first couple of shows, and as I saw how it was all rolling, I thought, ‘This is good. This is completely intact. There’s not much room for me to add anything special.’”

I had this record that I couldn’t complete while Bruce was around since he was always in the studio. So, I seized the chance to work on my album during that time.