MARKY RAMONE Explains Decision To Go Public With JOHNNY RAMONE's Cancer Battle

RAMONES drummer Marky Ramone has issued a statement in response to newly published reports that RAMONES guitarist Johnny Ramone is expected to recover from an infection related to prostate cancer.

Explaining his decision to go public with Johnny's cancer battle in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Marky said, "I only wish the best for John and I hope he has a speedy recovery. A week before that I lost a friend named Bob Quine who I played with in the VOIDOIDS. I wasn't looking for any publicity; I was disgusted hearing about what people were saying how Johnny was dying — some said [he had] AIDS, some said [he had] Alzheimer's. I have nothing against people who have AIDS or Alzheimer's and I did a lot of charities for them. I just wanted the rumors to stop of what Johnny's illness is, that's all. I had had enough, so that's why I went public to preserve his dignity."

Earlier in the week, Johnny Ramone's publicist confirmed that the legendary punk guitarist was hospitalized with an infection related to prostate cancer, but added that "he is receiving the medication he needs and will be leaving the hospital next week to continue his recovery."

Johnny and his wife, Linda, released a statement in response to Marky's interview with Rolling Stone in which the drummer said the guitarist's health was declining.

"He went through many chemotherapy treatments," Marky told the magazine. "Some of it worked better than others. At this point [the cancer] has started to go into other areas of the body."

"Johnny's been a champ in confronting this, but at this point I think the chances are slim," he concluded.

(Thanks: Lynne Cameron / MarkyRamonesWreckingCrew)