Chicago House Legend Roy Davis Jr Opens Up On Multiple Sclerosis Diagnosis

Chicago-bred house-music icon Roy Davis Jr has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, the musician has revealed.

In an expansive explanatory post made on Facebook late last week, the veteran performer broke the "unexpected news" to his fans, apologetically explaining that his condition will result in unavoidable cancellations of both his present touring and recording plans.

"At the beginning of last week I woke up in my home in Chicago being unable to walk after having felt weak for a few days before," Davis wrote in his post. "I was rushed to hospital and spent the remainder of last week undergoing tests and having scans whilst being put on various interim medications.

"During the weekend, I received the news that I have been diagnosed with MS (Multiple Sclerosis) — an illness I have known people close to me who have suffered from but I never expected to find myself here, diagnosed myself. Something that is a very difficult thing to swallow after hearing."

Davis went on to explain that his immediate future will be weeks "in and out of hospital" as he attempts to walk again with the aid of medication and professional care, thus forcing him to scrap planned shows he had up his sleeve this month.

"Despite how shocked I may still be, and with the knowledge that coming to terms with the impact of this diagnosis may take a while to really understand, and despite the cancellation of shows, I wanted to write this to tell you all that I will not let this overcome me, I will, with the assistance of God, you, my incredible fiancee Jessie, my family, manager and team, take this simply as something to live with and overcome, finding strength within to keep going throughout," Davis wrote.

"When I can, when my body allows me to, I will give you my all and we will make sure the upcoming shows are special and we carry on dancing."

"I will channel the energy that I will inevitably have to fight for now into making sure every show I play, or every track I make, is as special as I can make it, and with as much of my heart as I can give.

"I hope for as long as I physically ccan I will continue to play music to you all as much and as regularly as possible, and continue to give you the music that lets us break free from the shackles of life's pain, bring us all closer together and sparks our souls.

"MS is a disease in which so many people suffer in silence from and I hope through patience and love I can regain what has been lost and prove that for the time we do have left, we can live with all we have to give, whether you are well or unwell, we right now, still have life, and a lot to give.

"This will not be my end, God willing I will play on, I may [tour] a little less or with a little less intensity than before, but when I can, when my body allows me to, I will give you my all and we will make sure the upcoming shows are special and we carry on dancing."

According to his post, Davis plans to be back on stages from May, "just so long as my legs can walk me to the decks".

Read his confessional in full below.