Bret Martin had been singing and writing songs for years, but it wasn’t until he was diagnosed with cancer that he found the muse he needed to write deep and meaningful songs.

Now, he has put all the emotions he felt with his diagnosis and treatment of colon cancer into lyrics that have led him to perform all across the world, including for the Dalia Lama.

Bret says cancer immediately changed his view of the world. He vowed that he was not going to let another day go by with “dust under my heels.” He was going to make a difference.

He explains how he hopes his music helps other cancer patients know that they are not alone. He said older cancer patients, especially, tend to suffer alone in lonliness and fear.

Bret, who goes by the name the Cancer Crooner, says he also hopes to raise awareness among non-cancer patients about the people who feel stigmatized because they’re walking around with an ostomy hole in their body. Bret’s goal is to help them once again feel whole and beautiful, no matter what cancer is doing to their body.

To listen to Bret’s songs and to download his free pep talk, which features his music and an interview with his oncologist, click here to visit his Website.