Anastacia says she feels 'even more feminine' after double mastectomy
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- Published on Wednesday, 30 November -0001 00:00
- Written by Daily Mail
Pop star Anastacia has revealed how she feels 'even more feminine' after her double mastectomy to beat breast cancer for the second time.The Chicago-born singer, 45, said that her surgery, carried out at the same time that actress Angelina Jolie revealed her own double mastectomy, had given her scars but that it had made her feel 'empowered'.Anastacia - full name Anastacia Lyn Newkirk - was first diagnosed with cancer ten years ago and underwent surgery last year when it emerged the disease had returned.In spite of her ordeal the singer said that she had been brought up to 'smile and be happy' in the face of adversity.'I think I learned that very young and never lost it,' she said. 'I've never wanted to be sad.'Anastacia's surgery was more that just a double mastectomy, according to the star.'In order to have a complete surgery to make me feel like a woman, I had to remove my lats (latissimus dorsi muscles) and put them on top of my breasts. That was the very worst.'So I have these great, wonderful, beautiful scars on my back, underneath my wings. I ended up writing a song called Broken Wings.'Her positive attitude was revealed in an interview with a US magazine where she called her cancer 'a blessing.'The Metro reported that she added: 'I never would change it. I call even my second cancer more of a bigger blessing.'I always look at what people may consider obstacles as triumphs, and I look at the second opportunity to having cancer as a blessing, because this time I got to choose the bigger stick in the choice, and I got the winning one by saying: 'you know what? You can take it.'Anastacia was full of praise for Angelina Jolie, who had undergone the same surgery after discovering that she had a very high chance of contracting cancer.
'The sharing of her journey, the simplicity in how she decided to do it - everything about it was a class act,' she said.'I haven't spoken to her but she and I had our surgery at the same time. I was in my hospital bed in shock she had gone through that and that I had just done it.'Last November Anastacia made her first public appearance following her surgery, receiving the prestigious Humanitarian Award from the GQ Men of the Year awards gala in Berlin.She was awarded it in recognition of her Anastacia Fund charity, which has been established with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.The singer, whose hits include I'm Outta Love and One Day in Your Life, was only the second woman to be given the honour after Annie Lennox was a recipient in 2010 for her work to raise HIV awareness.In October Anastacia had updated her fans on her recovery as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.She said in a statement: 'In light of Breast Cancer Awareness Month l wanted to take the opportunity to support a cause particularly close to my heart.'l was diagnosed with breast cancer for the second time earlier this year and am currently in the final stages of recovery after undergoing a double mastectomy.'She added: 'It has been an intense journey but l am feeling great and ready to start the next chapter.'Anastacia, who said she underwent a double mastectomy with Latissimus Dorsi flap surgical procedure, was first diagnosed with the disease in 2003.She had previously announced in February last year that she had been diagnosed with the disease again, and was forced to cancel her planned European tour.Anastacia said at the time: 'I feel so awful to be letting down all my amazing fans who were looking forward to It's A Man's World Tour. It just breaks my heart to disappoint them.'Anastacia's tour had been scheduled to kick off in London a few months later, but the singer had at the time been instructed by her doctors to cancel all performances and not travel until further notice.However she performed at the QC Awards in November and is now hoping to resume her music career with her new album, Resurrection.'It references cancer a lot,' she said. 'I've had a bit of a health detour but I always like to throw a negative situation into a positive.'
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