Aretha Franklin: I Don't Have Pancreatic Cancer

Queen of Soul got get-well letter from President Obama
By Nick McMaster,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 14, 2011 5:16 PM CST
Aretha Franklin: I Don't Have Pancreatic Cancer
In this 2008 file photo, Aretha Franklin performs at the House of Blues in Los Angeles.   (AP Photo/Shea Walsh, file)

Aretha Franklin says she does not have pancreatic cancer, contrary to earlier reports. The legendary singer tells Access Hollywood that she did have a health issue that required surgery but isn't ready to go into specifics about it. She did, however, pass along this from her doctor: He said, ‘The surgery that you just had is going to add 15 to 20 more years to your life,’” said the 68-year-old.

Franklin said the trouble began with a sharp pain in her side. “I really just began to not feel good and I said, 'Oh, no this is it, I can’t do any more concerts till I know what the problem is.'" One bright spot of the media attention was receiving get-well wishes from Barack Obama. “I got a wonderful and beautiful letter from the president,” she said. “And nobody does it like him!”
(More Aretha Franklin stories.)

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