Matt Long, the lead singer and guitarist of Catfish, has died at the age of 29, his family and bandmates confirmed on Monday via Facebook.
Long had been diagnosed with bowel cancer and had undergone treatment over the past year.
The British blues, rock and metal artist had undergone surgery and chemotherapy treatments, but his scans revealed that the cancer had metastasized to his liver and stomach lining early this year.
Message from the Long familyOur hearts are breakingYesterday, we lost our kind, funny, wonderful, talented son and Catfish frontman/guitarist Matthew Long to cancer. He was just 29.Matthew was...
The medical team who cared for the musician discussed the possibility of exploring alternative chemotherapy options at the time of his diagnosis, but they expressed reservations about the likelihood of a cure during the time.
According to his GoFundMe Page, a new treatment may only offer a chance to prolong his life slightly but won't completely cure him. Long's family explored nearly all avenues within the NHS, yet their determination to find a solution remained unwavering.
One potential course of action involved sequencing a sample of the tumor. That approach promised comprehensive insights into its composition, enabling cancer experts to pinpoint the most effective drugs for combating it. This tailored treatment strategy could impede the tumor's progress or eradicate it in a fortunate scenario.
At the time, the family said it was important they provided an opportunity for a fighting chance but revealed that to access the treatment is through private means which was why they started the GoFundMe page.
At the time of writing, the fundraising amount garnered £91,992 (approximately $121,000).
