Hippo Campus frontman Jake Luppen has revealed he is preparing to undergo brain surgery after doctors discovered a potentially cancerous tumour.
The 31-year-old musician, who fronts the American indie rock band, told fans he will remain awake during the six-hour operation as surgeons attempt to remove a growth from a particularly delicate area of his brain.
In an emotional Instagram post on Wednesday, Luppen explained that doctors believe the growth could be a grade two glioma, a type of slow-growing brain tumour.
The singer, who has been experiencing what he initially believed were severe anxiety symptoms, also revealed that these episodes were actually seizures.
His surgery is scheduled for November 6, and he expects to spend several months recovering before he can return to performing.
Despite the frightening diagnosis, Luppen has managed to maintain his sense of humour, even making a joke about his band’s name.
‘No it is not in my hippocampus ❤️,’ he quipped at the end of his announcement.
Luppen explained that his health ordeal began seven years ago, when he underwent an MRI scan after suffering from migraines.
Doctors discovered a 9mm lesion close to his basal ganglia, an area deep within the brain involved in controlling movement, as well as other important functions.
The abnormality was subsequently monitored, but a recent routine scan suggested it had begun to grow.
Further investigations, including an electroencephalogram (EEG), led to a consultation with specialists at the Mayo Clinic.
It was then that doctors recommended surgery.
Luppen explained that the lesion’s location makes a conventional biopsy too dangerous, meaning surgeons will instead attempt to remove as much of the growth as possible.
The tissue will then be tested to establish a more definitive diagnosis and determine what treatment, if any, is needed next.
He said: ‘After consulting with my neurologist and neurosurgeon at the Mayo Clinic, we determined that I should undergo a craniotomy, as its critical location renders the option for a biopsy to be too dangerous.’
The musician added that he will be conscious throughout the procedure to help doctors safely navigate the sensitive area of his brain.
An awake craniotomy allows surgeons to monitor a patient’s speech, movement and other neurological functions while operating, reducing the risk of damage to important brain tissue.
Although Luppen acknowledged that the procedure carries significant risks, he said he and his family have confidence in his medical team.
He also shared a troubling discovery about symptoms he had previously attributed to his mental health.
‘To my surprise, the panic symptoms I had been experiencing were actually focal seizures,’ he revealed.
Focal seizures originate in one area of the brain and can sometimes cause sudden feelings of fear or anxiety, rather than the convulsions commonly associated with epilepsy.
With months of recovery potentially ahead of him, Luppen is determined to enjoy one more performance before going under the knife.
The singer announced a special show at the Turf Club in St Paul, Minnesota, on October 19, which he described as an opportunity ‘to rage for one last time before I’m on my a** for a few months.’
He reassured fans that he has every intention of returning to music once he has recovered.
‘Rest assured I will work as hard as I can to get back on stage asap,’ he wrote.
‘I’ll keep y’all updated throughout this journey. Gonna be a wild ride.’
Luppen has been the voice of Hippo Campus since the group formed in Minnesota in 2013.
Alongside guitarist Nathan Stocker, bassist Zach Sutton and drummer Whistler Isaiah Allen, he helped establish the band while the musicians were studying at the Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists.
Trumpeter DeCarlo Jackson later joined the line-up in 2017.
The group built a devoted following through their melodic indie rock sound, releasing their debut album, Landmark, in 2017.
They have since released three further studio albums, most recently Flood in 2024.
Luppen’s announcement comes as he faces an uncertain period away from the stage, with the results of his surgery expected to provide greater clarity about his diagnosis and future treatment.
A glioma is a tumour that develops from glial cells in the brain or spinal cord. Some types grow slowly, while others can be more aggressive.
Symptoms can include headaches, seizures, changes in mood, and difficulties with speech, vision or movement, depending on the tumour’s location.
Although doctors suspect Luppen has a grade two glioma, the precise nature of the growth has yet to be confirmed through testing.
For now, the musician is focusing on getting through the operation and making his way back to the band and fans.