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 "Early detection of breast cancer can save your life. Don't
ignore it, face it," 46-year-old Elissa wrote at the end of her
video 'To all who love me', released on Tuesday.
Elissar Khoury, who performs under the name Elissa, is one of
the best known and highest-selling female artists in the
Arabic-speaking world, with 13.3 million followers on Twitter.
Elissa revealed in her video that she was diagnosed with early
stage breast cancer in December. Interspersed with glittering
dance scenes, the video shows her going under a medical scanner
and lying in hospital beds.
It also includes footage of her collapsing on stage in February
while performing in Dubai.
"I think there isn't enough awareness in our Arab region about
this. Elissa found out because she was educated enough ... and
she does her yearly check ups," said video director Angy Jammal.
Lebanese gynecologist and member of the National Breast Cancer
Campaign, Faysal el-Kak, welcomed Elissa putting breast cancer
in the spotlight.
"This is a very bold and progressive move," he said, hoping
increased awareness will help more people detect the early signs
of cancer and seek out treatment.
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"Women associate breasts with their identity as female and they
think that breast cancer diagnosis would affect that. (We should)
break this taboo and change this perception: early detection saves
lives and saves their femininity," el-Kak said.
A day after Elissa's video hit the internet, in neighboring Syria,
first lady Asma al-Assad, 42, also said she had started treatment
for early stage breast cancer.
A photo published by Syrian state media showed her hooked up to a
drip smiling and sitting next to her husband President Bashar al-Assad.
(Reporting by Reuters TV; Writing by Lisa Barrington; Editing by
Susan Fenton)
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