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‘Pokémon’ Cast Member to Retire for Cancer Treatment, Musicians Die of Cancer and More

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From ‘Pokémon’ actor James Carter Cathcart stepping away from the show to undergo cancer treatment to Ahmad Jamal and Otis Redding III dying of cancer, here’s what’s happening in the oncology space this week.

Jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal died of prostate cancer.

close up shot of piano keyboard | Image credit: © Scott Wong - © stock.adobe.com

Jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal died of prostate cancer at the age of 92.

Ahmad Jamal, a jazz pianist who won a Lifetime Achievement Grammy for his contributions to the world of music, died April 16 after being diagnosed with prostate cancer at the age of 92.

Jamal had deep influence in the jazz space, as trumpeter Miles Davis wrote in his 1989 biography, “Miles,” that Jamal “knocked me out with this concept of space, his lightness of touch, his understatement and the way he phrases notes and chord and passages.”

A ‘Pokémon’ voice actor and script adapter announced that he will retire as he undergoes aggressive treatment for cancer.

James Carter Cathcart, who has been with “Pokémon” dubbing team for all of the show’s 25 seasons, announced that he will be stepping away from the franchise to undergo cancer treatment at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.

In a CaringBridge post, which can be used to keep loved ones up to date on a patient’s treatment and health status, Cathcart’s wife wrote, “Jimmy has decided to retire from script adapting and voice dubbing for Pokémon USA, effective at the conclusion of Season 25. He has been with the series since the 1st episode, so it is a timely decision as the series transitions to new characters and story lines.”

The post also noted that starting May 1, Cathcart will be undergoing seven weeks of radiation and chemotherapy to treat his disease.

Representative Jamie Raskin gave an update on his cancer treatment.

Jamie Raskin, a Democratic representative from Maryland who was diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, said that he has one more chemotherapy treatment left, and is doing well.

“On Friday is my very last session. The doctors tell me the chemotherapy has extinguished the cancer cells, at least as far as they can tell,” Raskin, who was being treated at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital said Thursday in a virtual event with the Progressive Change Institute.

A former ‘Survivor’ contestant died after being diagnosed with cancer in January.

Keith Nale, who was a two-time contestant on the reality show “Survivor,” died April 18 after receiving a cancer diagnosis a few months ago. He was 62 years old.

Nale’s son, Wes — who appeared with his father on “Survivor: San Juan del Sur” in 2014 — confirmed the news in an interview with ET Online. He said, “He passed away this afternoon. He’d been battling cancer for the past few months, and we found out about it in January.”

“Survivor” co-star Jeremy Collins tweeted, "My condolences to the Big D, Wes, Austin and entire Nale family. You will be missed Keith but your legacy will live on. Rest in power my firefighter/survivor brother."

Otis Redding III of the Redding Brothers died of cancer.

Otis Redding III, whose father, Otis Redding Jr. was known as “The King of Soul,” died of cancer on April 18 at the age of 59, according to a Facebook post from his sister, Karla Redding-Andrews.

“It is with heavy hearts that the family of Otis Redding III confirms that he lost his battle with cancer last evening,” the post read.

In the 1980s, Redding and his brother, Dexter, formed the funk band The Redding Brothers, which recorded six albums.

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