Candi Staton, the American singer best known for her hits Young Hearts Run Free and You Got the Love, has revealed that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer.
In a statement on Instagram, the Grammy nominee said: "After all I've gone through in my life...it's the last thing I ever expected to go through, but I'm going through it and I plan to beat it."
The 78-year-old received her diagnosis during the summer on the first day of rehearsals for her tour. She begins chemotherapy today.
"I decided to keep it to myself and do some soul searching," Staton explained. "I went through all of the emotions: denial, poor me and anger. It really helped me to be on the road, doing something I love to do, and was born to do."
"Cancer can happen to anyone," she continued. "I found a lump through self-check, so I really encourage women - including elderly women - to get a regular mammogram.
"Don't let the fact that you are young or that you've lived a certain length of time without getting it, fool you in to [sic] thinking you're immune to it. Have yourself checked because it can happen at any age."
Staton, a regular visitor to Ireland, released her new album, Unstoppable, earlier this year.
