Robbie Russell

Note: Robbie's real name "Robert Tharpe" was used in this interview.


KYRA PHILLIPS: He was told he had lymphoma. He went through months of hard core chemotherapy and he's not even 30 years old. Robert Tharpe turns 28 on Friday and you can bet he's making every birthday count.

PHILLIPS: Robert, give us a little background on how you found out. You know what it was like when you got those words that you had cancer.

ROBERT THARPE, CANCER SURVIVOR: It started about a year ago, about March of last year. I had a cold that just never went away. I noticed a lump on the left side of my neck here, I thought this is very odd. I started going to the doctors and having it checked out. They just kind of blew it off, and gave me antibiotics and said it will go away. It never went away.

I really had to push them, we need to biopsy this because I felt something wasn't right. Got the results back, they called me back and they said you have lymphoma, you have cancer, this is one of the most aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

So at that time of course I didn't know what to say but I made a point right then and there I was not going to have doom and gloom attitude that so many people have. I said I'm going to fight this, I'm going to win, I'm going to live to tell about it I'm going to have a story to tell at the end of this to inspire other people and that's what I did.

PHILLIPS: You know what? I want to let our viewers know this. That is absolutely true. Because we were looking at your Web site and your blog. You were doing this from your hospital bed. I mean the pictures and the testimony. Did you ever at all feel I can't take this anymore?

THARPE: No, that never even crossed my mind. I have, unfortunately it's a rare cancer. There's only 250 to 300 cases a year. So I felt I had to document it as much as possible so that when other people have this type of cancer, it's Burkitt's Lymphoma is what it's called, when they are diagnosed they would have a resource to turn to so they would have information. Because that was one of the problems I had. I had no information. I had no idea what to expect.

For every cancer there's a specific regimen of your treatment. Now that I have my blog, it's also on burkitts.org, there's a link to it there. People all over the world read it. And it inspires people because they know it's not a death sentence. It's so easy for us to get caught up in the news of the day and think this is a death sentence. For millions of Americans it is not a death sentence and I want everybody to know that. Keep that in mind.

PHILLIPS: You definitely made that very clear to all of us. I just want to play a little bit of this song that you wrote when you were dealing with your cancer and then I want to talk to you about that.

THARPE: OK.

("Here With You" song clip plays)

PHILLIPS: And of course here waiting for the big record deal now. But the lyrics of this song, not only a great dance tune as we all agree, but here and now we're going to make it through. You never once doubted your faith, did you?

THARPE: Never, no. I had been working on music for years now. Trying to make connections with the industry. Last year about this time something finally came through and I was working with an established producer in New York, the project was all coming together. He sent me the instrumental song. At that time I was going to write the lyrics for the song. That's a day after I got my diagnosis.

So there I was with an instrumental song going through. I was just diagnosed with cancer and I wrote this song, "Here With You." So that's what I'm working on now, shopping it, hopefully a record label will pick it up. If not, I'll just start my own label and put it out myself.


PHILLIPS: Thanks for talking with me.

THARPE: Whatever I can do to spread the word. It's something we can fight and we can win.

PHILLIPS: And I know we can log onto your Web site, kickcancer.net.

THARPE: You can see my blog and also have a link to my Web site, robbierussellmusic, that's my stage name, Robbie Russell. (END) - CNN/Turner Broadcasting

Here's something special for your Disco Friday.

Robbie Russell is an emerging Atlanta-based singer, DJ and producer who is creating a stir in dance clubs with his new single "Here With You." The track was produced by none other than Josh Harris who is mostly known for his remixes of The Killers, Kelly Clarkson, Brandy and Britney Spears. That's not a bad guy to have on your side if you're looking to impact the dance floor.

"Here With You" is not just any savvy slice of kicky dance pop. It is a song that is intensely personal for Robbie and was inspired by his battle with cancer. In April 2005 he noticed a lump on his neck and was subsequently diagnosed with Burkitt's lymphoma, a rare and highly aggressive cancer. Ironically, the very same day of his diagnosis, Harris sent Robbie an instrumental track for what would become his first single.

"I didn't know if I was going to live or die or what was going to happen to me. So I used music as my outlet and wrote 'Here With You' within an hour," he tells Arjan. "It's a song about dealing with the uncertainties of life and knowing that everything will be OK--that problems in life will work out in the end."

For the next few months, Robbie went in and out of the hospital and was treated with high doses of chemotherapy. Fortunately, his body responded well and four months later the cancer was in remission. He is currently is cancer-free with zero side effects.

Robbie is a survivor, ready to take on any challenge. The self-proclaimed "Lance Armstrong of dance music" decided to independently release his music to make sure his personal story of "Here With You" would get out there under his full artistic control. He asked several other producers to revamp the track and put together a digital EP with remixes by Josh Harris, Retrobyte, Scott K and Dave Hansen. He was glad to share his own Digi-Tech Remix with readers of Arjanwrites.com, Thanks, Robbie! (Click HERE to purchase the "Here With You" EP on iTunes. An EP disc is available on Perfectbeat.com.)

- Music Blog: Arjanwrites.com