Barry Manilow Shares an Update from the Hospital Following His Lung Cancer Diagnosis

The acclaimed musician breaks his silence with a personal health update after his holiday shows, prompting a wave of love, concern, and support from fans.

Barry Manilow has revealed a health battle that has touched the hearts of people around the world, sharing that the diagnosis came after his holiday concert series.

Days into the new year, the 82-year-old music legend shared a photo that appeared to be taken in a hospital, reassuring fans with a hopeful message.

Barry Manilow Reveals Serious Health Diagnosis

On December 21, 2025, the "Copacabana" singer announced on Instagram that he had been diagnosed with lung cancer. The illness was discovered after he experienced a six-week bout of bronchitis, followed by a second relapse that lasted an additional five weeks.

Because the bronchitis persisted for so long, doctors ordered an MRI as a precaution. The scan revealed a small cancerous spot on his left lung, which Manilow said was caught early thanks to "pure luck" and a skilled doctor. He explained that he would undergo surgery to have the spot removed.

He also reassured fans that chemotherapy and radiation would not be part of his treatment, and joked that chicken soup and "I Love Lucy" reruns were his go-to comforts during recovery.

The news came shortly after he wrapped his seventh annual Christmas charity concert series at the McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert. The performances have raised millions for nonprofit groups across California's Coachella Valley and continue to be a highlight of his year.

How Barry Manilow Is Doing After the News

On January 2, 2026, Manilow shared a smiling photo from a bed, wearing a hospital gown, with the caption, "Better Today!" Netizens flooded the comments with messages of love and support.

One supporter wrote, "You even make that hospital gown look Fine! 😉🥰 Be Well! ❤️" Another added, "Keep healing. Barry.. You can do it. God is Good all the time." A third shared, "Oh good!! Hang in there....you got to 'Write the Songs'......that make the young girls cry!🫂🫂❤️👍"

Tour Rescheduled as Barry Manilow Focuses on Recovery

Due to his recovery from lung surgery, Manilow has postponed the January 2026 dates of his arena tour. The concerts have been rescheduled between late February and April, and all original tickets will be honored at the new shows.

The updated tour begins in Tampa, Florida, on February 27, then moves to Columbus, Ohio, on March 6, Charleston, South Carolina, on March 11, Orlando on March 13, and Sunrise on March 14.

Manilow will then perform two nights in Estero on March 16 and 17. In April, the tour continues in Greensboro, North Carolina, on April 24, Jacksonville on April 27, and concludes in Duluth, Georgia, on April 29.

Manilow also confirmed that his Valentine's weekend shows, set for February 12, 13, and 14 at Westgate Las Vegas, a venue he calls his "home away from home," will go as planned.

At the end of his statement, he also shared a heartfelt reminder about taking care of their health: "And remember, if you have even the slightest symptom... get tested!"

A Bittersweet Tour That Means More Than Ever

Manilow's health update has added deeper meaning to his current The Last Concerts tour, a farewell to the cities that supported him through every decade of his remarkable career.

In a June 2025 Billboard interview, he spoke about the emotions behind these final performances and how returning to the road made him think more deeply about his place in music history.

He expressed a growing awareness that many of his contemporaries from the same era were no longer performing, either due to retirement or health issues, naming artists such as Billy Joel, Rod Stewart, and Neil Diamond. Manilow added:

"I'm still healthy. I'm strong and I've still got my voice and my energy. The night I can't hit the F natural on 'Even Now,' that's the night I throw in the towel. But I can still do it."

There may be no formal retirement date, but Manilow acknowledged that these performances mark a turning point in his decades-long career. For the first time, he said, he knows he won't be coming back to these cities, something he described as a "bittersweet experience."

He admitted he "never felt that before," explaining that in the past, there was always the expectation of returning. But now, after performing in the same places "over and over and over," he knows "this is it."

COVID Heartbreak Couldn't Keep Him Down

It is not the first time health has challenged Manilow's plans. In 2022, he tested positive for COVID-19 just hours before opening night of his stage musical "Harmony." The moment, he said in an emotional Instagram post, was devastating:

"This just might be the cruelest thing that has ever happened to me: 25 years waiting for this show to premiere in New York and I can’t attend."

Although he was unable to attend, Manilow encouraged fans to go in his place. Emphasizing the strength and resilience of New Yorkers, he urged people to wear a mask and support live theatre by showing up for the performance.

The Singer's Secret to Staying Sharp

In June 2023, Manilow spoke candidly about growing older and explained why he has no intention of slowing down. Turning 80 that month, he made it clear he does not see himself the way many people his age do.

"I think of people who are 80... they look older than I do," Manilow said. " They’re retired. You know, that ain't me."

Instead, he described himself as "just getting started," explaining that staying busy helps him feel energized and sharp. He believes that if a person keeps working, they "stay young," or at the very least stay mentally vibrant, with a brain that is always "working."

At the time, Manilow was still touring, producing an album for saxophonist Dave Koz, developing new music, and continuing his long-running performances in Las Vegas. He also remained deeply involved in his stage musical "Harmony."

Reflecting on his busy schedule, Barry Manilow said he felt lucky to always have something to focus on. At the time, he was working on two albums and preparing for an upcoming performance at Radio City Music Hall. His creative pace, he explained, rarely slows down, with one project leading straight into the next.