Elissa reveals battle with breast cancer

'I've recovered, I've beaten the illness, and I won': the Lebanese superstar revealed the news via the video for Ila Kol Elli Bihebbouni

Elissa's fans and friends have shared their support for the star on social media. Satish Kumar / The National

Elissa's fans and friends have shared their support for the star on social media. Satish Kumar / The National

Samia Badih author image
Samia Badih
Aug 08, 2018
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On the day of the release of the video for her latest single, Elissa shocked fans with news of her struggle with breast cancer. The Lebanese singer revealed her battle through her video for the song Ila Kol Elli Bihebbouni (To Those Who Love Me) that she had fought and overcome breast cancer.

The music video had over a million views in the first few hours after its release. The video ends with a strong statement from the singer saying: "I've recovered, I've beaten the illness, and I won..." adding that "early detection of breast cancer can save your life... don't ignore it, face it."

It is almost a love letter from Elissa to her fans, friends and family who have stood by her during this difficult time. The video also includes real audio recordings of the singer dating to December of last year, where she is heard speaking emotionally about how she had been living her life during treatment, saying that she was doing radiotherapy between studio recording sessions and live shows.

The singer collapsed during a February performance in Dubai - and had to be carried off the stage, no reason was given at the time.

Support for the Lebanese diva poured in on social media, with posts from Elissa's celebrity friends and fans, with #Elissa in both Arabic and English trending on Twitter in Lebanon.

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Read more: Elissa's new album shows the cracks behind the image

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