Stan Walker’s health concerns addressed in new doco

The mysterious rumours surrounding the health of R&B singer Stan Walker have led to New Zealand media speculating that he has had surgery for stomach cancer.

The New Zealand Herald contended the 27-year-old, who made headlines last month due to his gaunt looks, had his stomach removed.

But the real story will be revealed in a documentary called Stan to screen next month on New Zealand’s Three channel.

A trailer depicts the singer heavily bandaged across his abdomen saying “I just thank God every day that I’m alive”.

Last year Walker discovered that his extended family suffers a rare cancer which causes the aggressive CDH1 mutation. It has killed 25 of his extended family.

Of the 400 families who suffer from it worldwide, an estimated 25 families have it in New Zealand.

70% of those who get it by the time they are 40 have their stomachs removed. A younger cousin went through this procedure recently.

In 2016 Walker cancelled a tour to be with his mother April when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

About his documentary, Walker posted on Instagram last week, “The past nine months have been a life-changing journey full of ups and downs to say the least.

“As an artist I like to make every situation a creative experience no matter how shit it is.

“There is always much beauty to be found in heartache, loss, pain, trials and tribulations and even sickness.

“This thing we call life has taken me to places I would never have expected.

“I can’t wait to share this next chapter with you all. The journey that I’ve been on.

“Whatever you may have heard, I’m telling you now, you STILL know nothing!

“I will share with you all very soon what has been happening… until then, if it does not come from me, then it ain’t a thing. Stay tuned.”

Born in Melbourne and growing up in New Zealand tin a violent and drug-fuelled family life, Walker was living on the Gold Coast working in a menswear store when he became the first Kiwi to win Australian Idol, in 2009.

His first two albums went multi-platinum in Australia and New Zealand, and reached the top end of the charts.

He has since been a judge on The X Factor NZ and made his acting debut in Mt Zion (2013), playing the lead of Turei, a Maori musician whose dream of opening for Bob Markey’s NZ 1979 tour is thwarted by his disapproving family.

He played supporting roles in two more New Zealand films, Born To Dance (2015) of a kid wanting to be a professional hip hop dancer, and Hunt For The Wilderpeople (2016) about a juvenile delinquent abandoned by his mother and sent to live with a foster family on a remote farm.

A new Walker album is reportedly set for release this year.