Television Guitarist Richard Lloyd Diagnosed with Bile Duct Cancer, Bandmate Launches GoFundMe for Medical Costs

There's a tumor in his liver sitting right up against a major blood vessel, which has made doctors hesitant to operate. That's the situation Television co-founding guitarist Richard Lloyd currently faces — he's been diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma, a cancer that attacks the bile ducts.

The news comes via a GoFundMe page launched by Sean Seymour, a bandmate in the Richard Lloyd Group. According to Seymour's description, Lloyd has been in and out of the ICU seven times due to his condition, with sepsis occurring twice, along with liver and kidney complications. "Through it all," Seymour wrote, "he keeps fighting."

The funds raised will support Lloyd and his wife Sheila's living expenses, covering medical costs, monthly bills, and other expenses that have come up while Lloyd is unable to work and Sheila cares for him full-time. Seymour noted on the page that Lloyd currently can't tour, "which is devastating for a professional musician — not just because performing is something he loves, but because touring is his primary source of income." He also mentioned "unresolved royalty issues" that have persisted for about two years, adding further strain to an already difficult situation.

Lloyd himself left a message on the fundraising page: "I'm usually an optimistic person, and I've tried to face all of this with grace, but it's been really hard to carry alone, and financially it's been tight. That's why I'm reaching out for help." He wrote, "If you're able to donate, please do; if not, please help by sharing this with friends who know me and might be willing to help."

In the post, Seymour looked back on the past four years he's spent onstage alongside Lloyd. "Now," he wrote, "I want to stand by him in a different way." He also put out a call to everyone who's ever listened to Marquee Moon, seen Television live, or simply knows and loves Lloyd.

Donors so far include Patti Smith, as well as Susan Tweedy, wife of Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy. The GoFundMe has a goal of $80,000 (roughly NT$2.53 million), and as of press time has raised nearly half that amount.