Pistol Annies Singer Ashley Monroe Reveals Rare Cancer Diagnosis in Emotional Instagram

• Pistol Annies musician Ashley Monroe has been diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer called Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia, she revealed on Tuesday.

• She thought she was just anemic until a bone marrow biopsy confirmed her illness.

• “I’m thankful I have an illness that is VERY live with-able,” Monroe, 34, wrote on Instagram. “I was hesitant to post about it, but I could use the prayers.”

Country star Ashley Monroe revealed that she’s been diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer. But she’s meeting the sad news with optimism, she wrote in an emotional Instagram post announcing her illness.

“A few months ago, my doctor was doing some routine lab work and found that I was anemic,” the Pistol Annies singer, 34, wrote. “Short story long, they did a bone marrow biopsy (ouch), and VOILA ... a rare kind of blood c-word.”

“It’s causing my body to be pretty severely anemic, and I feel it. So, I start chemo tomorrow,” Monroe continued in the caption, which accompanied photos of the singer with her son, husband, and friends like Miranda Lambert.

Monroe says she was diagnosed with Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia, a type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that crowds out red and white blood cells, per the American Cancer Society (ACS), leading to fatigue, difficulty fighting infections, and abdominal pain. This form of blood cancer affects only three in 1 million people each year, the ACS explains, but it has a relatively positive prognosis.

“I flip that doom feeling on its head and think, wow, I’m thankful I have an illness that is VERY live with-able,” the “Hands on You” singer wrote. “I’m thankful there IS a treatment that actually works to fight what is causing harm to my body. THANKFUL for friends and family who have gathered around me praying and sending flowers and letting me lean on them during this super weird chapter of my life. Thankful for my angel son. Who I am fighting for the most.”

Monroe also asked fans to respect her boundaries during this difficult time. “I would greatly appreciate if no one gave me any unsolicited advice or medical opinions,” she said, noting that she’s been researching her options with experts at Vanderbilt Medical Center. “That’s why I was hesitant to post about it, but I could use the prayers.”

And in a show of solidarity, fans and loved ones shared their prayers in the comments.

“❤️ What an inspiration,” country star Lainey Wilson wrote.

“Praying every day, Ash,” Little Big Town musician Karen Fairchild commented. “Love you so much!!! ❤️❤️❤️. ” Bandmate Kimberly Schlapman also shared some love: “You have our whole hearts and our fervent prayers all the way on this, sweet one. 💘💘.”

And Martina McBride simply left “❤️.”

“I love you all big,” Monroe wrote at the end of her caption. “Here I go.”

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