Toby Keith Gives 1st Health Update After Being Diagnosed With Stomach Cancer: ‘It’s Pretty Debilitating’

02.12.2022 - 08:05 / usmagazine.com

Staying strong. Toby Keith opened up about his battle with stomach cancer — and how he’s optimistic about the future.

“I’m thinking about getting back in fighting shape,” Keith, 60, said in a Thursday, December 1, clip of an upcoming CMT Hot 20 Countdown interview. “I need a little time to just rest up and heal up.”

While the country crooner explained that it’s “pretty debilitating” to go through chemotherapy and radiation, he kept a positive outlook on what’s to come. “As long as everything stays hunky dory, then we’ll look at something good in the future,” he said.

Keith announced in June that he was stepping away from music in order to receive treatment after being diagnosed with stomach cancer in fall 2021.

“Last fall I was diagnosed with stomach cancer,”  he wrote via Instagram. “I’ve spent the last 6 months receiving chemo, radiation and surgery. So far, so good.”

Initially, the “Red Solo Cup” singer didn’t stop playing concerts. He performed at a Memorial Day weekend show at the Heroes Honor Festival in Daytona Beach, Florida, and at a sold-out venue at the San Antonio Rodeo in February.

Keith also attended The 2022 Toby Keith and Friends Golf Classic in May, which raised over $1.38 million for charity. However, the star realized he was ready for a break after six months of treatment.

“I need time to breathe, recover and relax,” the “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” artist explained after recognizing he needed to press pause on his career. “I am looking forward to spending this time with my family.”

Keith ended his statement by assuring fans he’d be back on the road as soon as he could. “I can’t wait,” he said.

Before becoming a country music superstar, the Grammy-Award nominee depended on the unconditional support of his wife, Tr