Legendary soul singer Aretha Franklin may be in denial when she says her recent medical problems have been resolved.
Frankln, who was rumored to be diagnosed with deadly pancreatic cancer, told JET magazine in an exclusive interview, “I don’t have to talk about my health with anybody other than my doctors. The problem has been resolved.”
But in further discussing the diagnostic tests that her doctors ordered for her, Franklin, 68, inadvertently gave JET magazine enough hints to guess at her real diagnosis.
The soul icon also encouraged everyone to see their doctors if something doesn’t feel right.
She reveals that she went to a series of doctors who ran tests before they discovered what was wrong. She recalls saying to herself, “ ‘I know there is a problem, but these tests are showing nothing.’”
She recalls having “a very hard pain in my side” during a concert in Toronto, Canada last year. “I had a colonoscopy and it showed nothing was wrong. I associated the pain in my side with the colonoscopy that I had within a day or two before. I got up at 2 o’clock in the morning and called the doctor who did the colonoscopy and told him what was happening. He said, ‘Miss Franklin, whatever it is, it is not from the colonoscopy. You need to come home and have a CAT-scan.’ Thank God he said that because that unfolded everything, what the problem was and everything.”
She reiterates why she talked to JET, “I know my fans are concerned. Let them know I am feeling great and coming along.”
She sends out a message of gratitude for her fans worldwide. “I want to thank my fans and friends and supporters who have prayed for me and sent me beautiful cards and flowers. Please continue to respect my privacy as I continue to recover.”
YAYYYYYYYYY!!!
Do they have support bras for women who are “extremely blessed” in the chest region? There is no need for the girls tohang to your belly button.
#cruelandunusualpunishment
#mybreastshurtforher
Long live the Queen!!!!
God Bless her and others who are on the road to recovery
I may feel like I am lacking in certain ares but I thank GOD for my health!!!
@Daisy: Amen,amen,amen…
I got off to a bad start with this post. I apologize in advance. I’m really glad to hear Aretha is doing well and she’s not on her death bed as everyone was making it seem. Continue on the road to recovery….
P.S. I still stand by my bra comment though….
The statement, “The problem has been resolved,” can be looked at two ways. Either the doctors have successfully treated her issue or she has gotten herself right with the Man upstairs.
Either way, I will continue to 
for her.
@Yvonne
she def needs a breast reduction or better bra there is no getting around that.
I glad ‘Retha is doing good! Maybe she was just retaining water or something.
yvonne79 says:
Do they have support bras for women who are “extremely blessed” in the chest region?
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Thank GOD I was not blessd in that region. LOL.
I know legends want privacy but isn’t it their duty to talk about health issues so their followers will get themselves checked. Katie Couric is the poster gal for Colon Cancer.
I hope ReRe isn’t making “light” of her condition.
meanNsurly aka Ms. Kitty Pop says:
I glad ‘Retha is doing good! Maybe she was just retaining water or something.
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We expected that from you. LOL.
MzDimplez1123 says:
I hope ReRe isn’t making “light” of her condition.
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Unfortunately to me that is what it sounds like.
“I don’t have to talk about my health with anybody other than my doctors.” — Aretha Franklin
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Good for you Miss Franklin. And I hope you are doing well. Wouldn’t want to start off this year by losing one of the greatest voices of all times.
(goes and puts “Ain’t No Way” on repeat again)
She needs to slow her role on them dayum ding dongs and ho ho’s..
Its no secret that Ms Franklin has very poor eating habits.. which is the real reason behind the cancer issue.. my granny died of cancer and when I used to visit her in the summers, she’d make us these big ol plates of food, morning, noon and night.. but I wasn’t bout to eat all that ish.. RIP granny
Black people need to develop better eating habits and life styles.. we are killing ourselves.. I truly believe that HIV, and cancer are self inflicted
Im confused…so she doesn’t have cancer?? If not good for her and God bless!
@Anna: I may have to change my gravi to the ‘Retha pic I have……
This may be a dumb question…off topic of course…but im new here, is there a “reply” button or do you guys just copy and paste what a prior member has said before replying to it?
Still got her pic up…I love you Momma ‘Re!!!!
meanNsurly aka Ms. Kitty Pop says:
@Anna: I may have to change my gravi to the ‘Retha pic I have……
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Please don’t. I just got done with lunch and I don’t need it to revist back in my mouth. LOL.
She reiterates why she talked to JET, “I know my fans are concerned. Let them know I am feeling great and coming along.”
ReRe, if you wanted us to know what was going on, then why did you talk to JET? Nobody flucks with them unless they’re on the toilet doing the #2.
copy and past what the member said LSB! It took me a long time to figure that out.
Im glad she is doing better and I hope she continues to do well. We just lost one queen we cant afford to lose another one now….
*paste*
@Ms. Kitty Pop…thanks!
@LSB
copy and paste or you can just reference the comment number…. Someone was asking Sandra to get the reply to a comment function but it might break bad if we do it like that…
Hey Kitty!
@Kitty.. did you approve and appreciate Marcia’s Far Way video?
@ Princess, thanks for the welcome babes. in reference to your comment on Marcia’s video I though it was GREAT. It’s bringing awareness, I don’t know why people think it’s their business who someone else dates, im all for doing you!
Wow I don’t think everybody who gets cancer brought it on themselves. Very healthy and fit ppl do get cancer everyday sadly. Even toodles get cancer did they self inflict as well? Some cancer is genetic as well.
Whew! I am glad!
I agree a lot of cancers are genetic, it runs in my family.
Black people need to develop better eating habits and life styles.. we are killing ourselves.. I truly believe that HIV, and cancer are self inflicted
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Weelllll I hope you can go down to the hospitals and explain the 2 and 3year olds with cancer that they should have been eating right!
West Coast….
True some cancers are food related, but alot aren’t. Most are hereditary or genetic. A baby that’s been only on milk who develops cancer surely didn’t bring it on themselves.
WUTWUZINDAT!?
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Your gravi reminded me that on my way home for lunch I saw a husband wife team holding signs on the underpass. I have never seen anyone begging for money in that spot before. I think Ted Williams inspired some ppl.
I’m so hoping what Aretha said is true. She is a true legend!
Daisy says:
Wow I don’t think everybody who gets cancer brought it on themselves. Very healthy and fit ppl do get cancer everyday sadly. Even toodles get cancer did they self inflict as well? Some cancer is genetic as well.
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there are some genetic forms, HOWEVER we all know ms Franklin is eating herself to DEATH! just like my granny did boo, this is a common problem among Black people, that’s why I was fist pumping M Obama for her concern for kids nutrition. Obesity, cancer, diabetes are taking some of us of in droves.. I’m not over looking that issue. Its an epidemic- FACT!
I will try to refrain from any comments, BUT while she was getting surgery on her pancreas she should have them take out some of that fat….I know I would have…might as kill two birds with one stone!!
chibytex
If you have certain health issues they won’t do any type of weight loss surgery
@west You made a gen statement and that is what I disagreed with. I am a health nut and gym rat so I don’t have a prob w/M Obama’s program I am gald she has enough tact when spreading her message. I never said Aretha was the pic of perfect health or eating habits.
Anna says:
WUTWUZINDAT!?
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Your gravi reminded me that on my way home for lunch I saw a husband wife team holding signs on the underpass. I have never seen anyone begging for money in that spot before. I think Ted Williams inspired some ppl
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There is a disabled man who stands in front of our office building grunting and shake his can everyday, right. At first I was like “Oh, that poor fella.” Girl I went to a braves game
… that joka was there!! grunting and shaking that can!! I was like “Dam he got two jobs! I ain’t givin him nothing else.” For a man to be so disabled, he sure gets around!
that’s why I was fist pumping M Obama for her concern for kids nutrition. Obesity, cancer, diabetes are taking some of us of in droves.. I’m not over looking that issue. Its an epidemic- FACT!
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then that retarded as Sarah Palin trying to diss Michelle’s prgram…I guess Sarah thinks everybody goes in the backyard and hunts for their dinner everynight..some of these kids that live in Chicago live in food deserts..and the only stores around are corner stores that sell old a$$ food and junk food! the government should take some responsibilty in what kids put in their mouths!
WUT- Im talking about pancreatic cancer, or cancer that is ususally ALWAYS caused by poor living habits, smoking, excessive drinking, hog head cheese, fat back eating.
Its an epidemic that is murdering our grandparents, older Americans.. for instance, Im sure my granny would have still be alive, had she put the damn turkey neck down and picked up an apple.. just sayin
chibytex
If you have certain health issues they won’t do any type of weight loss surgery
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Oh…ok….but isnt most of the time the weight causing the health issues? Im confused!
chibytex
Sarah palin isnt concerned with eating habits in her neck of the woods, because Im sure her community isnt flooded with mcdonalds and fast foods resturants, like Black neighborhood are.. Michelle is a Black wmoan, tending to Black issues… that why I love her
Sarah Palin annoys and irks my soul her voice is like nails on a chalknoard to me
WUTWUZINDAT!? says:
Anna says:
WUTWUZINDAT!?
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Your gravi reminded me that on my way home for lunch I saw a husband wife team holding signs on the underpass. I have never seen anyone begging for money in that spot before. I think Ted Williams inspired some ppl
_____________________
There is a disabled man who stands in front of our office building grunting and shake his can everyday, right. At first I was like “Oh, that poor fella.” Girl I went to a braves game … that joka was there!! grunting and shaking that can!! I was like “Dam he got two jobs! I ain’t givin him nothing else.” For a man to be so disabled, he sure gets around!
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Wow his hustle was on. If I see the same homeless person begging for money in diff spots I too would not be giving him nothing.
ok I’m back…..
i gotta fight off the work at home mom ads and the best buy $1000 prize. i win that everyday, Sandra.
I hope all is well with Aretha and she recovers.
smoking, excessive drinking, hog head cheese, fat back eating.
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damn….Im gonna die!
We all could look at Aretha and tell she was a walking medical book with all that weight but as long as she is on the right track I hope she is doing better with her health. You only live once, its easy for us to say what she should have done but no one knows her life.
chibytex says:
chibytex
If you have certain health issues they won’t do any type of weight loss surgery
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Oh…ok….but isnt most of the time the weight causing the health issues? Im confused!
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not if her heart isnt strong enough.. OH and obesity, like aretha has, can cause heart failure
Food can be suicide.. eat right.. feel good
@ Daisy- neither am I.. but I do bake as opposed to fry, and I MIGHT walk to the store, as opposed to driving… things like that can prolong your life and health.. ALSO- WATER people… PLEASE DRINK LOTS OF WATER!
so outside of smoking bad eating habits can cause cancer?????? I never knew
West Coast Chick says:
WUT- Im talking about pancreatic cancer, or cancer that is ususally ALWAYS caused by poor living habits, smoking, excessive drinking, hog head cheese, fat back eating.
Its an epidemic that is murdering our grandparents, older Americans.. for instance, Im sure my granny would have still be alive, had she put the damn turkey neck down and picked up an apple.. just sayin
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I hear you on that. I think when you generalized it and said that cancer and HIV is self inflicted… I think that part was to broad based. Yes we do eat all types of unhealthy is. But not everybody gets sick as a result. For example, my granny… died at 90! EVERYTHING had pork in it she cooked. My dad… is 95 and counting. Momma 70 and counting (yea my dad robbed the cradle) Doesn’t know what a smoked turkey wing look like in greens and beans, but will cook da H3ll out of fatbacks! (he from the south) Its bacon and eggs everymorning….just saying.
Oh the HIV thing… same thing.. children, rape victims, trusting wives/husbands, don’t self-inflict.
I Absolutely LUV The Original and ONLY QUEEN (In My EYEZ…)
Going to listen to “Don’t Play That Song” and find an Awesome PIC of HER from her Younger, Classic & TRULY Iconic Dayz to go with @K-Dub’s Gravi (Real…)
Cancer is a sore subject with me because I have lost my grandmother and father to it both of lung cancer and yes they smoked cigarettes which is why I will never pick one up.
I like the fact that Michelle is trying to fight childhood obesity, she was in Philly over the summer at a new fresh produce supermarket and its ashame because the neighborhood didnt have a supermarket in over 10 years. Thats where the main problem lies. There are plenty of chinese stores, KFC and McDonalds in the neighborhood but no supermarkets. It starts at home and we need to cook better foods but if the poor cant get to supermarkets what do they do?
We all could look at Aretha and tell she was a walking medical book with all that weight but as long as she is on the right track I hope she is doing better with her health. You only live once, its easy for us to say what she should have done but no one knows her life.
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and Aretha is old school…thats how people back in the day ate and lived….its gonna take a long time to get people to eat right…I dont even understand why they sell all that ish at the store if its not healty..chitterlings, hog mawgs, and hog head cheese needs to be remove from the shelves…so it wont tempt people!
chibytex says:
smoking, excessive drinking, hog head cheese, fat back eating.
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Ditto. I’m buying some pickled hocks when I get off work.
as long as nothin is wrong with mashed potatoes and gravy I’m good!
BROWNSUGAPOET says:
so outside of smoking bad eating habits can cause cancer?????? I never knew
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theyre talking about like, breast cancer or kids poor with some sort of bone cancer. ..which is true and I will admit that I wasnt thinking along the lines of thoses issues when I made my statement……. @DAISY AND my nicca WUT!
Doesn’t know what a smoked turkey wing look like in greens and beans, but will cook da H3ll out of fatbacks! (he from the south) Its bacon and eggs everymorning….just saying
My granny is 86 and she from Mississippi and she pretty much eat the same way…I think its more genetics than anything…
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meant to say kids born with bone cancer – I was thinking “poor kids”
my bad
@west I am a water junkie and was doing everything right yet was still recently dx as a type II diabetic due to genetics not eating habits or lack of excerise. So that is why I disagreed w/your org gen statement. I am on a call now and will hit the treadmill as soon as it ends. I believe in doing all you can to stay healthy and live long but you still never know when you may be hit w/an illness. I am thankful for my healthy as I said earlier.
Anna says:
chibytex says:
smoking, excessive drinking, hog head cheese, fat back eating.
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Ditto. I’m buying some pickled hocks when I get off work.
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*slides half eaten fried porkchop sandwich and red Koolaid into trash* Pulls out blood pressure cuff and P90X video…
I HOPE THAT SHE IS OKAY. I JUST LOST MY MOM TO CANCER ON NOVEMBER 10TH
I PRAY THAT NO FAMILY HAS TO GO THROUGH THAT PAIN
as long as nothin is wrong with mashed potatoes and gravy I’m good!
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if the doctor told me that I have to stop eating my crablegs, crawfish and shrimp…then I tell him to go ahead and kill me now…My seafood addiction is serious business!! I dont give a ish what they say..it makes me FEEL good when I eat it!!
@PHO #46.. I told her the same thing and she said it was my computer. Weweeelll, how come it only happens when I go to her comment section?
BROWNSUGAPOET says:
as long as nothin is wrong with mashed potatoes and gravy I’m good!
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**runs over to Brown and scoops gravy off potatoes and sprinkle with broccoli***
I feel for you Tiff
My uncle had Multi Myeloma and fortuntely he didnt suffer long. He took my mom the movies and dinner and died in his sleep that night
@Chi-my family had a troth of chiterlings at Christmas and New Years party I have never ate them but I understand what you are saying. Also people only start eating healthy if something major happens to them. If you have a heart attack you start eating healthy or lung cancer you stop smoking. People know the food and cigs are bad for you but they continue to do them.
chibytex says:
Doesn’t know what a smoked turkey wing look like in greens and beans, but will cook da H3ll out of fatbacks! (he from the south) Its bacon and eggs everymorning….just saying
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My granny is 86 and she from Mississippi and she pretty much eat the same way…I think its more genetics than anything…
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I think it is more genetics. I put fat back(salt pork), smoked neckbones and hamhocks in my greens. I will eat neck bones as a snack. LOL. I love a fried egg and bacon on my burger. LOL. Just because I am not obese doesn’t necessarily make me healthy, just like a fat person isn’t necessarily unhealthy.
No disrespect meant, but the speculation going on in this very post is why Aretha said what she did about it being nobody’s business but her and her doctors.
Unless you KNOW her family’s history you can’t KNOW what caused her cancer, if it even is cancer.
Ok this convo is making me hungry
*making a stop to the seafood spot around the corner from me for some crab legs when I get off from work*
WUT I WILL DISEMBOWEL YOU OVER MY MASHED POTATOES AND GRAVY!
@Anna-my boss is fat like Santa and he is healthier than a man half his size lol.
*hold shank in one hand with a mixin spoon full of potatoes and gravy*
sexyphillygirl says:
@Chi-my family had a troth of chiterlings at Christmas and New Years party
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I cooked some a couple of days BEFORE christmas cause I didnt wanna share them with my family…that is so fat of me…but I dont care..LOL!
ELove says:
I Absolutely LUV The Original and ONLY QUEEN (In My EYEZ…)
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I agree
@BROWNSUGA…Thank Darlin. sorry for your loss as well.
say West Coast
@DAISY AND my nicca WUT!
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Wuv youuuuuuuuuu
@west not all ppl w/pancreatic cancer inflicted that on themselves. My moms gfriend just died last mth and she was in perfect health until she was dx w/cancer. I think Kate Courics hubby was healthy as well until he was dx w/cancer. Lifestyle can be a factor I’m not in denial abt that but not always.
making a stop to the seafood spot around the corner from me for some crab legs when I get off from work*
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just had me about 2lbs today..they sure was good with that Lousiana Crawfish Boil Seasoning!!!
sexyphillygirl says:
@Anna-my boss is fat like Santa and he is healthier than a man half his size lol.
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Thats crazy! Is he some kind of magical wizard?
lmao @ Chi-I cant get past the smell of those things…
Tiff me and my family do the Cancer walks every year that the American Cancer Society has
@Laci-nope he eats healthy and he is very active his parents were big also.
BROWNSUGAPOET says:
WUT I WILL DISEMBOWEL YOU OVER MY MASHED POTATOES AND GRAVY!
eases slowly back over gently pics off broccoli and slides gravy bowl back next to Browns mashies…. 
I was just trying to help…
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sexyphillygirl says:
@Laci-nope he eats healthy and he is very active his parents were big also.
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okay! i understand.
@DAISY THAT’S TRUE. MY MOM WAS VERY HEALTHY. I SWEAR IT SEEMS LIKE THIS YEAR THERE’S SOME SORT OF CANCER EPIDIMIC. BOTH MY MOM AND MY UNCLE PASSED WITHIN TWO MONTHS OF EACH OTHER. AND CANCER DIDNT EVEN RUN IN OUR FAMILY
@ BROWNSUGA THATS DEFINITELY SOMETHING IM GONNA CONSIDER DOING THIS YEAR
WUT
we can compromise, throw the broccoli in and I’ll put gravy over it and eat it!
I hope she really doesn’t have pancreatic cancer. My uncle was diagnosed with it just this Thanksgiving and didn’t make it to Christmas
WCC you my ride or die Did it on em bish but working at a cancer hospital def not all is self inflicted however you have a point with a few diagnosis’
I hope it all works out for Aretha I love me some Aretha but the cancer she has is not a nice one
Brownsugar1908 says:
I hope she really doesn’t have pancreatic cancer. My uncle was diagnosed with it just this Thanksgiving and didn’t make it to Christmas
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Sorry to hear that. Don’t want to be rude but another thing w/black folks is we wait too long to go to the doctors. We don’t get regular checkups. Health Prevention is so that we are not seeing the doctor for the first time with the last stage of a disease. Black women don’t get breast cancer as much as white women, but black woman die 3 x more.
@Anna
That’s why I get my breast checked every year after my lump scare a about five years ago. I had a lump the size of a golf ball. It wasn’t cancerous but I had it removed.
Hello All. May Arethea’s faith in God remain strong. Last year, my sister, my wonderful, wonderful sister, was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer( cancer found in breast, lymph nodes, neck) For the past yr, she has gone thru chemo and radiation. The other day she told me that she was fighting for her life and that she was holding God to one of his many promises, that whomever honors their mother and their father will live longer on earth. Well, this one sibling gave my parents NO trouble, NONE. Matter of fact, she was a virgin when she married, never smoked, drank nor got high, a Christian all her adult life. People, I LOVED this testimony of her faith. And that’s what I pray for, that her faith in the Lord remains strong. We are living in some perilous times. Stay prayed up. Peace.
And for all those who respond to this message, I thank you for your prayers beforehand. Peace.
No lie…there is a chick that works with me and she is a G cup (WTF). She doesn’t invest in the best of bras so when she sits down and lean back in a chair, they fall to the side. She had on a jacket one day and had it buttoned and I swear they were coming out the bottom of the jacket.
She’s getting a reduction next month. Thank the lord!!
Brownsugar1908 says:
@Anna
That’s why I get my breast checked every year after my lump scare a about five years ago. I had a lump the size of a golf ball. It wasn’t cancerous but I had it removed.
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It’s scary. My doctor advised me to get a mammogram when I was 37. I was scared too death waiting on the results. Everything turned out fine, but I find it so hard to believe that woman die from Breast Cancer. Elizabeth Edwards who I consider the poster woman for Breast Cancer had every opportunity as a wealthy woman. She had not had a mammogram in 5 yrs before she was diagnoised. I don’t get it???
@PAHairston, your sister has so much faith. My heart sank when I read the testomony. I pray she is healed!
I have a book club member who was diagnosed in 2008 at 36. During her battle she completed her Master’s Degree program, started a new job and continued to be active with our club. Her daughter was 3 at the time. She pleaded w/God not to take her from her baby girl whom she had only 3 years with. She said she believed He would save her life and keep her around. She said she stood on that faith. I pray your sister continue to stand on her faith!
YSoSerious says:
No disrespect meant, but the speculation going on in this very post is why Aretha said what she did about it being nobody’s business but her and her doctors.
Unless you KNOW her family’s history you can’t KNOW what caused her cancer, if it even is cancer.
and thank you. I know so mary “self-professed” health gurus that have dropped dead it’s not even funny. What she eats is her business and hers alone. I think one of the many things causing cancer is the additives and hormones put in our foods.
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*many*
I say she had gastric bypass and a breast reduction. Bo one ever confinred the pancreatic cancer story.
I think one of the many things causing cancer is the additives and hormones put in our foods.
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Exactly. That’s a major factor that’s often overlooked, and our environment.
@ICY Sorry for your losses
@PA Still praying for your sister so glad to know that she is still fighting the GOOD FIGHT and holding onto Gods hand
PAHairston says:
Hello All. May Arethea’s faith in God remain strong. Last year, my sister, my wonderful, wonderful sister, was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer( cancer found in breast, lymph nodes, neck) For the past yr, she has gone thru chemo and radiation. The other day she told me that she was fighting for her life and that she was holding God to one of his many promises, that whomever honors their mother and their father will live longer on earth. Well, this one sibling gave my parents NO trouble, NONE. Matter of fact, she was a virgin when she married, never smoked, drank nor got high, a Christian all her adult life. People, I LOVED this testimony of her faith. And that’s what I pray for, that her faith in the Lord remains strong. We are living in some perilous times. Stay prayed up. Peace.
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BY WAY, YOUR GRAVI SCARES THE HECK OUT OF ME
I’m not a doctor, but I don’t think poor eating habits cause cancer. Diabetes and hypertension, yea….My Grandfather died of cancer and he was tall and slim for as long as I can remember…. #thatisall
Umm, after perusing 500,000,000 responses, what is the issue with Aretha? She says it wasn’t her colon but the CAT-scan revealed what was wrong… K, geniuses, what’s the issue?
Any guesses??