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July 14 (UPI) -- Ashley Monroe is going public with her blood cancer diagnosis. The 34-year-old country music singer said in an Instagram post Tuesday that she was recently diagnosed with Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia, a rare form of blood cancer.
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Monroe shared the news alongside a slideshow of photos featuring her husband, John Danks, her 3-year-old son Dalton, her Pistol Annie bandmates Miranda Lambert and Angaleena Presley and other loved ones.
In her post, Monroe said she learned she was anemic after some routine lab work. After her red blood cell count kept falling, Monroe underwent a bone marrow biopsy that showed she has a type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
"It's causing my body to be pretty severely anemic, and I feel it. So, I start chemo tomorrow. Seems like such a negative thing to say. Until I flip that doom feeling on its head and think, wow, I'm thankful I have an illness that is VERY live with-able," Monroe said.
"I'm thankful there IS a treatment that actually works to fight what is causing harm to my body. THANKFUL for friends and family who have gathered around me praying and sending flowers and letting me lean on them during this super weird chapter of my life," she added. "Thankful for my angel son. Who I am fighting for the most."
Monroe said she was "hesitant" to post about her diagnosis but said she "could use the prayers" from fans.
"I DO believe in the power of prayer guys. I also believe in the power of love healing us all on an even deeper level," she said. "I love you all big. Here I go."
Little Big Town's Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Schlapman were among those to voice their support for Monroe in the comments.
"Praying every day Ash. Love you so much!!!" Fairchild wrote.
"You have our whole hearts and our fervent prayers all the way on this, sweet one," Schlapman said.
Monroe released her fifth studio album, Rosegold, in April. She also performs with Lambert and Presley as the country music group Pistol Annies.
