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Edmonton Oilers anthem singer shares great news after cancer diagnosis

Preston Hodgkinson
Preston Hodgkinson
|
Jun 17 2026, 4:43 pm
Edmonton Oilers anthem singer shares great news after cancer diagnosis
Perry Nelson/Imagn Images

It sounds like Edmonton Oilers anthem singer Robert Clark is getting healthy after a cancer diagnosis earlier in the year.

The beloved anthem singer was diagnosed with hairy cell leukemia back in OctoberĀ and was forced to miss several Oilers home games due to treatment. The news came as a shock to many fans, as Clark has become a gameday staple in Edmonton, having started as the team’s anthem singer during the 2013-14 season.

At the time, Clark seemed optimistic about the situation and assured everyone that the diagnosis sounded worse than it was and that he was confident the treatment would put him into remission.

As the summer rolls around, it appears that Clark was right to stay positive, as he shared on social media on Wednesday that he is now cancer-free.

“Best. News. EVER,” Clark sent out on X. “I couldn’t have done it without all of your support, positive vibes, and love. So damn happy right now.”

Hairy cell leukemia is a form of cancer that affects the white blood cells and is generally considered to be a highly treatable condition with a high survival rate.

Clark had to miss several games during last season, but he was treated to a rousing standing ovation from Oilers fans when he made a return in December. It was a moment that the beloved singer reflected on afterwards.

“Thank you for that, Oil Country,” Clark said. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt more supported or more emotional than I did tonight. You all made this fight more than worth it for me.”

 

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The cancer fight did not take Clark out of the Oilers’ most recent playoff run. The veteran singer fought through and continued to deliver an awe-inspiring performance for the three playoff games at Rogers Place this year.

Naturally, he did get a ton of help from the Edmonton faithful as well.

Outside of his anthem work at Oilers games, Clark has also become a fixture in the Edmonton operatic scene and can sing in six different languages (English, French, Russian, German, Italian, and Spanish).

He is also openly gay and is a staunch advocate for Edmontonā€™s 2SLGBTQ+ community.

The hope is that Clark stays cancer-free and continues to add to the Oilers gameday experience for the foreseeable future.

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