Beastie Boy Yauch is 'strong and hopeful' after cancer surgery

Can't blame a guy for quoting 'Caddyshack'

By Katie Hasty Thursday, Oct 8, 2009 12:18 PM

Adam "MCA" Yauch

Credit: AP Photo

It was in early August that Beastie Boy Adam "MCA" Yauch last updated his fans on his condition from cancer, and the rapper has again recently sent out word again on his surgery recovery.

In a fan newsletter sent out yesterday Yauch mentioned that he is "feeling healthy, strong and hopeful that I've beaten this thing, but of course time will tell" after the tumor near his salivary gland was removed. He has traveled to India to meet with Tibetan doctors and has been put on a vegan and organic diet.

He even managed to sit in on three days of teaching from the Dalai Lama, who was visiting.

Yauch has since returned to the U.S., but mentions that there are some nuns in India that had promised to continue prayer for him. Never to let a joke get away from him, Yauch quoteth the scripture of "Caddyshack": "One nun said to me 'we do prayers and then you are better.' So I've got that going for me, which is nice."

The letter, complete with Yauch's typos and decapitalization, is below.

hey all,

so i just got back from dharamsala, india. went over there to see some tibetan doctors, but as it worked out, the Dalai Lama was giving a 3 day teaching, so i was able to attend that as well.

i'm feeling healthy, strong and hopeful that i've beaten this thing, but of course time will tell. i'm taking tibetan medicine and at the recommendation of the tibetan doctors i've been eating a vegan/organic diet, which surprisingly enough was harder to do in india than it is now that i'm back home. here i can just shop for the right food and cook... a lot easier than depending on restaurants.

when i was in india i visited an ani gompa (a nunnery) called jamyang choling. they did a puja (religious ceremony) for me to help me get well. one nun said to me "we do prayers and then you are better." so i've got that going for me, which is nice.

Katie Hasty
Managing Editor

After five years as a columnist and editor at Billboard, Katie Hasty joined HitFix in 2009 for music and film reporting out of New York. The Midwest native has worked as a writer, music promoter and in A&R since 1999 and performs with her band Numbers And Letters.