Aretha Franklin Says She Is 85 Percent Healed After Recent Health Problems
Aretha Franklin said she is almost completely healed after suffering from health problems recently.
The 71-year-old canceled two shows back in May to receive treatment for an unspecified illness. She canceled another show in Michigan in July. On Monday, she announced that she would be unable to personally accept an award from the MLB honoring her civil rights work in Chicago Saturday.
“I greatly appreciate being a Beacon Award recipient. Presently, I am unable to travel as I continue my treatment. I am working towards a full recovery,” Franklin said in a statement. “Many thanks to Frank Robinson; we go back a long way to my early years in Baltimore. I thank him and Major League Baseball for the recognition, and I look forward to receiving this most prestigious honor.”
Franklin told The Associated Press Tuesday that she had made a “miraculous” recovery and was looking forward to being able to perform again.
“My treatments are going very well. My last CAT scan, my doctor at the CAT scan and everyone sees this says that this is miraculous, absolutely miraculous,” she said in the phone interview.
“I was talking to Smokey Robinson, my oldest best friend Smokey, talking about the fact that some doctors are not very well acquainted with faith healing. And Smokey said, ‘Well, they just don’t know who your healer is,” she added.
Franklin said that she would not go discuss her “personal health things,” but said it was something very common to women. She also said that it was related to a health concern about three years ago that had forced her to cancel shows at that time.
The Queen of Soul said that she was worried about her health but that she has been taking care of herself by eating right and getting rest.
“Anytime you have cancellations you should be concerned. But all prayer is good, and keep me in your prayers until I am 100 percent, not 85, and back onstage,” she said.
We wish Aretha Franklin a speedy recovery.
[Photo credit: Ben Alman/Flickr]
