47 Years of Marriage Full of Rockin’ for Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne, Who Stuck By Each Other Amid Marital Strife & Health Battles

Supporting a Spouse Battling Cancer

• This year marks Sharon and Ozzy’s 47th wedding anniversary. The couple’s marriage had its share of ups and downs, but when tough times arose, they were always there for each other.
• Spouses and partners of loved ones diagnosed with cancer often assume caregiver roles. Gynecologic oncologist Dr. Jayanthi Lea encourages caregivers to go to doctor visits and engage with their care by asking questions and helping their loved ones fulfill treatment recommendations.
• Ozzy was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2003. It’s an incurable “brain disorder that causes unintended or uncontrollable movements, such as shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with balance and coordination,” according to the National Council on Aging. Symptoms for this chronic illness tend to worsen over time.
• Sharon is no stranger to health struggles either, as she was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer in 2002. Stage 3 means the cancer has spread beyond the colon. She underwent surgery to remove part of her intestine and chemotherapy.

Rockstar couple Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne have been through their fair share of ups and downs throughout their 47-year marriage, but when times grew tough, they’ve stood by each other’s sides. In 2002, Sharon, 71, was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer. She noted on their reality show “The Osbournes” that her family supported her during her cancer journey. Ozzy went the extra mile by tapping into his celebrity contact list to help lift his wife’s spirits amid treatment. Notably, the Osbournes' marriage had its troublesome periods, particularly during Ozzy's heyday in the 1980s. Decades later, People Magazine reported the two planned separation in 2016 after details emerged Ozzy had an affair with a hairstylist. Sharon admitted she attempted suicide after learning of her long-time husband's infidelity. She said that she had her own way of dealing with Ozzy, especially when he was on tour and tempted by groupies. “I was so used to it because that was the world I knew. That’s what comes along with being famous,” Sharon told U.K.-based news outlet the Daily Mail. She focused more of her energy during the ‘80s and ‘90s on caring for the couple’s three children. She admitted when being married to a rockstar would strike a nerve, she resorted to antidepressants. “When Sharon was sick with cancer, I felt bad about leaving her just in the house, so I asked Robin Williams if he’d come and see her,” Ozzy explained on “The Osbournes” podcast. More recently, Ozzy has been living with Parkinson’s Disease. The chronic condition is an incurable “brain disorder that causes unintended or uncontrollable movements, such as shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with balance and coordination,” the National Council on Aging explains . Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease tend to worsen over time. To help Ozzy cope with Parkinsons, Sharon has taken on a caregiver role.

“It’s hard for him [Ozzy]…he was miserable,” Sharon said when discussing her husband’s current well-being. “I don’t want to stay away from Ozzy for too long. We’re so close as a family,” Sharon said to the U.K.-based news outlet “The Sun.”

Expert Resources on Colorectal Cancer

• 5 Possible Signs of Colon Cancer; Don’t Be Afraid to Look in the Toilet!
• 5 Truths Sharon Osbourne Learned From Colon Cancer: ‘After You Get Over the Shock and Panic, You Realize How Lucky You Are to Be Alive’
• A Coffee Enema Will Not Prevent Colon Cancer
• 23andMe’s New Colon Cancer Test — It Does Not Assess all of Your Risk. Buyer Beware!

Supporting a Spouse During Cancer

A life-altering diagnosis can impact the patient and their loved ones emotionally and physically. Research published in The Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine studied the impact of a cancer diagnosis or disease on family members. It found, “Most chronic diseases have similar [mental] effects on family members including psychological and emotional functioning, disruption of leisure activities, effect on interpersonal relationships, and financial resources.” Feelings of “helplessness, lack of control, guilt, anger, embarrassment” are some common emotions parents, siblings, and other relatives within the household of someone battling a health condition may experience, according to researchers. Communicating your feelings is something licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Marianna Strongin also believes is vital to helping couples dealing with a cancer diagnosis. She adds that people faced with cancer should “surround [themselves] with individuals who care and support [them]” throughout treatment while also acknowledging their limits on what they can handle.

The Critical Role of Cancer Caregivers

Many cancer patients are encouraged to build a support group to help them through their cancer journey. Sometimes, close members of that support group may be caregivers. This particular person may be a spouse, a parent, a sibling, a close friend, or a child. A caregiver often assumes multiple roles to help make their beloved cancer patient’s life easier. RELATED: Where Cancer Caregivers Can Get Help With Finances: Coping With the Bills Cancer caregivers may:

• Attend doctor visits with the patient
• Help the patient take notes/ask questions
• Provide transportation to and from treatment
• Accompany the patient during treatment
• Help keep track of side effects
• Link up with a social worker/patient navigator
• Help with day-to-day activities
• Provide emotional support

Caregivers should know that although their cancer warrior relies on them, they also need support from time to time. Social workers and patient advocates may be available and can help guide you through treatment options, financial assistance, and mental health resources.

Ozzy’s Parkinson’s Disease Diagnosis

Ozzy has been living with Parkinson’s disease since 2003.

His condition has caused him to cancel tour dates to focus on his health. He publicly revealed he was dealing with the chronic disease in 2020, although he was diagnosed in 2003. His journey included several surgeries, including one last year that removed and realigned pins in his neck and back, according to Page Six. Before surgery, Ozzy dealt with nerve pain, blood clots, depression, and staph infections. More recently, the “Black Sabbath” frontman was seen in Los Angeles in a wheelchair. At the time, he declared that he wouldn’t be undergoing any more surgeries, the New York Post reported . Sharon said it’s “heartbreaking” to see her husband not be “self-sufficient.”

Sharon’s Colon Cancer Journey

Sharon is no stranger to life-changing health strugglers herself. When her stage 3 colon cancer was discovered in 2002, it had already spread beyond the colon. The most poignant signature of colon cancer is a change in bowel habits. Changes in the size or shape of bowel movements may cause constipation or diarrhea. A change in stool color, particularly black or tarry stools, can indicate bleeding from a tumor deep in the colon. WATCH: Colon cancer symptoms. Other symptoms can be harder to pinpoint, such as abdominal pain and unintentional weight loss. Finally, some tumors bleed a small amount over a long period of time, resulting in anemia (low red blood cell count) that is picked up on blood work. For treatment, Sharon underwent surgery to remove a foot of the large intestine and some surrounding lymph nodes. She needed chemotherapy to kill any cancerous cells left behind. With a powerful support group filled with loved ones, she was able to overcome the cancer and beat it. Osbourne also underwent a preventable double mastectomy, a procedure where breast tissue is removed to prevent cancer from developing in the future. She opted for the procedure after learning she had a genetic mutation that increased her chances of developing breast cancer. WATCH: Understanding preventative mastectomies. A prophylactic, or preventative, mastectomy is an operation where the breast tissue is removed to prevent cancer from developing in the future. “A double mastectomy typically takes about two hours for the cancer part of the operation, the removing of the tissue,” Dr. Elisa Port , Chief of Breast Surgery at Mount Sinai Health System, tells SurvivorNet. “The real length, the total length of the surgery, can often depend on what type of reconstruction [a patient] has.” Other factors that weigh into the decision to get a mastectomy are the size and features of the tumor and your family history. However, the gravity of your decision comes into full view, especially if you choose to get a mastectomy and remove both of your breasts.