There is always a need for more resources and services for those diagnosed with cancer. But for patients and survivors in the adolescent and young adult (AYA) age group – generally defined as people between the ages of 15 and 39 – the need is especially great.
Recently, efforts to support AYAs got a significant shot in the arm with a little help from what may seem like an unlikely source, rock n’ roll.
A Growing and Alarming Trend
Cancer among AYAs has not experienced the same level of innovation or focus within the care continuum as cancer among older adults or pediatric patients, due in large part to the fact that it historically makes up a relatively small share of overall cancer diagnoses.
Unfortunately, the need shows no signs of slowing as cancer among young people is on the rise.
A study published on September 5 in BMJ Oncology concluded that the rate of early onset cancer has increased dramatically worldwide.
Researchers found that in the 204 countries they examined, there was a drastic increase of 79.1% in cases of early-onset cancer between 1990 and 2019.
A new report from the American Cancer Society (ACS) echoes these findings, showing that colorectal cancer diagnoses in particular are increasing among young people. ACS estimates that in 2024 there will be 2 million new cancer cases overall.
A Little Help from a Rock Legend
Inspired to help young people with cancer, British rocker Mark Knopfler saw an opportunity to do his part through his hit song, Going Home.
Knopfler – who is best known as the lead guitarist, singer and principal songwriter of the British rock band Dire Straits – first recorded the instrumental rock track in 1982 as part of the soundtrack for the Scottish movie, Local Hero.
Going Home went on to transcend the film; serving as a staple of Knopfler’s live shows and even earning a spot as the official theme of his hometown football (translation: soccer, for the “yanks”) team, Newcastle United, which plays the song as the team runs onto the pitch before each home game.
Knopfler’s idea was to re-record the track and release it as a single, with the proceeds going directly to the Teenage Cancer Trust in the UK and its counterpart across the pond, Teen Cancer America.
Fellow rockers, Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend, of the legendary band The Who, are the driving force behind the Teenage Cancer Trust and Teen Cancer America. The duo are patrons of Teenage Cancer Trust and founded Teen Cancer America – both organizations support young cancer patients
Enter Guitar Gods
For this re-envisioning of the track, Knopfler enlisted the help of a few friends. Actually, more than 60.
He assembled some of the biggest names in rock n’ roll to form a super group dubbed, “Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Heroes.” The roster amounts to a who’s who of rock royalty, and includes Bruce Springsteen, Slash, Eric Clapton, the Rolling Stones’ Ronnie Wood, Joe Walsh, Pete Townshend, Sting, Queen’s Brian May, Joan Jett, Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour, Buddy Guy, Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi, Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine, and many more. Ringo Starr and his son, Zak Starkey, provide drums for the track and Roger Daltrey plays the harmonica.
But perhaps the most notable contribution came from the late guitar virtuoso, Jeff Beck, as his part was the last guitar track he recorded before his death in January 2023.
In an interview with Guitar World, Knopfler described Beck’s guitar licks as “spellbinding.” Dire Straits keyboardist and producer on the track, Guy Fletcher, said Beck’s contribution was “absolutely meant to be.”
“What he did with it, it just brings you to tears,” said Fletcher.
Knopfler admits that he was blown away by the response he received from his friends and fellow musicians, which required him to extend the track to accommodate the all-star roster.
“What I really want to do, more than anything else, is just to thank each and every one for this sterling response,” he says. “I really had no idea that it was going to be like this. It hit Guy and I quite early on that we had to extend this piece somehow, to take in the number of people who joined in.”
As if any more star power was needed, the icing on this musical cake is the album cover, designed by renowned English pop artist Sir Peter Blake, who created the iconic album artwork for the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
Making a Splash and Raising Money for the Cause
Going Home will be released on March 15, but it’s already making a splash – reaching number 1 in the charts among pre-sales and grabbing headlines around the world.
In addition to proceeds from the single, Knopfler and company are raising money for the Teenage Cancer Trust and Teen Cancer America through sales of eight exclusive guitars signed by all the artists, original artwork by Sir Peter Blake, vinyl pressings of the song, and more.
One of the signed guitars recently fetched more than $400,000 at a Christie’s auction and the master of the original track sold for $100,000.
All told, the track is expected to raise more than $1 million for teenagers and young adults with cancer.
“Our board member, Peter Bradley, led this initiative with Mark Knopfler and we are truly grateful to them and to this legendary line up of rock royalty,” said Simon Davies, Executive Director of Teen Cancer America. “This will raise awareness about this critical issue, while raising vital funds that will help us improve treatment and save lives.”
The “Mark Kopfler’s Guitar Heroes” version of Going Home will be previewed at Newcastle United’s home match against the Wolverhampton Wanderers on March 2, where a number of the artists featured on the track will be in attendance.
The single is available to preorder now, and will be available for purchase on March 15 on CD, 12” vinyl with etched b-side, and a deluxe CD/Blu-ray package, among other formats.
We can all agree that cancer sucks. But this? This rocks.
