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Carey Lander in Center, in 2006

Oct 11, 2015 By Mark Redfern Photography by Wendy Lynch Redfern Camera Obscura

There is very sad news to report from the Camera Obscura camp. We are saddened to write that keyboardist Carey Lander passed away this morning after a long battle with bone cancer, the band has shared on its Facebook page. The Scottish band, Under the Radar favorites, recently canceled their planned October shows in Mexico and California because Lander had to have more treatments.

“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 band mate, and our deepest sympathy goes out to her partner Kenny, and to all her family and friends,” Camera Obscura wrote on Facebook.

Lander had recently launched a Just Giving page to raise money for the charity Sarcoma UK, which focuses on Lander’s particular type of cancer. “She was touched by the way you all got behind her campaign for Sarcoma UK and you can still donate here: https://www.justgiving.com/Carey-Lander We shall be continuing to help promote the campaign on her behalf,” the band also wrote on Facebook. “She was [not] left in 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.”

Please go to the Just Giving page and donate in Lander’s honor. Here is Lander’s recent statement on the Just Giving page in which she explained her type of cancer and how it had impacted her life:

“In 2011 I was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in my leg. 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. 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.

“I’ve been quite fortunate in that I have been able to have periods of living something of a normal life in the last 4 years and to continue playing with Camera Obscura. Being able to record the album we had started working on before my diagnosis, and to travel and play shows again has been amazing, and I’m very grateful to everyone that’s bought out records, come to our concerts or supported us in some way. Sadly, my illness is here tripping me up again and I feel like it’s time to tell people a bit more about it and see if I can raise a bit of cash to help others in a similar situation. I’m hugely grateful for any donations you feel like making. Thank you.”

Read our somewhat recent 2014 Artist Survey interview with Lander. The band’s most recent album was 2013’s excellent Desire Lines. Below watch the fun 1970s sci-fi channeling video for Desire Lines cut “Troublemaker.”

Our thoughts go out to Lander’s family and the band.