Knoxville grasser John Miller, a guitarist and vocalist who has worked with a good many groups over the years, has been hit with a second round of cancer. And in the unkindest cut, it appears that the radiation treatment he received for cancerous lesions in his mouth back in 2013 is the cause for the Osteo Sarcoma recently found in his jaw.
A pair of surgeries have been performed, removing the cancerous tissue, and along with it a large part of his lower jaw. The second operation was to graft skin taken from his arm to replace tissue and arteries in his gums.
In 2013, John displayed an amazing confidence during treatment that he would recover from the cancer, but it seems that this bout is giving him a run for his money. Repeated hospitalizations have been necessary for chemotherapy, and once that is completed, he is facing reconstructive surgery to replace the jaw bone and teeth that have been removed.
If that sounds absolutely brutal, you can be assured that it will be. But Miller is a trooper and a man of strong faith. Don’t count him out just yet.
His friend Matt Leadbetter has launched a GoFundMe page to raise money to help the Millers with the massive medical bills, and the income they are losing not only from John’s day job, but also from his wife Stephanie’s, who is dedicating herself to his recovery. Donations can be made quickly and securely online using major credit cards or PayPal.
John Miller is a good soul and a strong picker with many friends all around the southeast. If you have the ability to help out, it will be deeply appreciated.
Here’s a video of a set John did with Mainline Express at Joe Val 2019.
Get well soon, John!
