Artist News

Camera Obscura’s Carey Lander dies

By Andy Malt | Published on Monday 12 October 2015

Camera Obscura keyboard player Carey Lander died yesterday, the band announced in a statement. She had been receiving treatment for osteosarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer.

“It is with the greatest sadness, that we must share the news that Carey passed away peacefully this morning after her illness with cancer. We have lost our friend and bandmate, and our deepest sympathy goes out to her partner Kenny, and to all her family and friends”, said the band. “She was left in no doubt how much you all loved and appreciated her, and we’d like to thank you all for the support and kind words you have been sending to us and her. The band, our music, and all of you who have enjoyed it over the years, meant so much to her”.

Lander was diagnosed in 2011, but continued to work with the band, both touring and recording 2013 album ‘Desire Lines’. In August the band were forced to cancel shows in Maxico and California as her health deteriorated. At this point, Lander launched a campaign to raise money for more research into osteosarcoma.

“It’s an aggressive form of bone cancer that’s treated with a very harsh regime of chemotherapy and surgery or possible amputation of the affected limb”, she explained on a Just Giving page. “Particularly horribly, it’s a cancer that most commonly occurs in children and because of its rarity, receives scarce attention or funding and there has been very little in the way of new treatments developed in the last 30 years. It’s probably too late to help me, but it would be great if we could find something in the future that means children don’t have to undergo such awful treatment and have a better chance of survival”.

The band have said that they will continue to promote the campaign to raise money for the Sarcoma UK charity, which has so far raised over £60,000. Find out more and donate here.