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PEOPLE & ARTS Friday 16 august 2019
Aretha Franklin's cancer doctors recall her grace, grit

By JEFF KAROUB saying she never made
Associated Press him or his staff "feel that
DETROIT (AP) — Regard- we need to treat her as a
less of her reputation as a celebrity." Of course, given
performer, Aretha Frank- her fame, some accommo-
lin's cancer doctors say she dations were made: She
was no diva as a patient. came and went through a
As the anniversary of her side door and there were
death approaches, two of more frequent changes in
her doctors tell The Associ- appointments because of
ated Press that the Queen her performing schedule.
of Soul handled the diag- While there, however, she
nosis and treatment with was keen on doing what-
grace — and the grit to ever needed to be done,
keep performing for years he said.
with a rare type of cancer. "She knew her body, she
"As a person, she was ex- knew herself," he said. "A
tremely kind, she was re- lot of patients will ask for
spectful, she was funny — treatment that doesn't re-
she treated people like me ally make much difference
and my team members as to her body. She didn't do
her friends," said Dr. Mani- This July 26, 2010 file photo shows performer Aretha Franklin in Philadelphia. that." Shah says Franklin's
sha Shah of Ohio State Uni- Associated Press cancer — the same kind
versity. "There is no phone Apple co-founder and
call that would end without Franklin after her 2010 di- for Elton John's 25th anni- — and positively — as pos- longtime leader Steve Jobs
her asking about us. Most agnosis, surgery and treat- versary of his AIDS founda- sible. had — has many treatment
of the time she would ask ment at Detroit's Karmanos tion, and bringing President "She was full speed — she options, and her doctors
about us first. ... It's because Cancer Center. Barack Obama and many wasn't even complaining," employed both targeted
who she was: She was real- "I think she had her priori- others to tears in 2015 with said Philip, who first saw drug therapy and che-
ly down-to-earth." ties very clear in her mind. a triumphant performance Franklin in early 2011 and motherapy. Shah said she
Franklin, who died in De- ... She would ask me how of "(You Make Me Feel Like) was her doctor of record at talked with Franklin about
troit on Aug. 16, 2018, at long this treatment would A Natural Woman" at a the time of her death. "That traveling to Europe for a
76, had pancreatic neuro- go for, what would be her Kennedy Center tribute for was different than what treatment before it was ap-
endocrine cancer, which restrictions," Shah said. "As the song's co-writer, Carole I expected. ... She never proved last year in the Unit-
starts in the pancreas but far as I can see, she was King. showed signs that she was ed States. It was then the
is far different and much able to live that dream, or "How can the same person close to thinking that she doctor learned of her pa-
slower developing than her plan." who is going through this may give up ... until the tient's famous fear of flying,
the more common, ag- Of course, her illness meant cancer journey continue end, close to the end." which anti-anxiety tapes
gressive type of pancreatic some cancellations, which to do what she did all her In the public eye, she even and classes couldn't help.
cancer known as adeno- was to include perform- life? It's amazing how she embraced the "diva" tag, "She said, 'Oh no, I can't
carcinoma. Franklin's kind ing on her 76th birthday in went through it so grace- once saying, "What do go — I don't fly,'" Shah re-
is exceedingly rare: Neuro- March of last year in New- fully," Shah said. "She wasn't YOU think?" when an AP re- called. "We had several
endocrine cancers com- ark and at the New Orleans afraid." porter asked Franklin if she other options for her."
prise about 7% of cancers Jazz and Heritage Festival Both Shah and Dr. Philip thought she was the ulti- Both Shah and Philip recall
originating in the pancreas, in April. But she gamely Agop Philip, a professor mate diva while discussing Franklin's positivity in the
according to the Neuro- carried on as her illness at Karmanos and Wayne a VH1 Divas concert honor- face of cancer, and the
endocrine Tumor Research progressed: Performances State University, recalled ing her music. Still, Philip also positive effect that had
Foundation . of note included closing how she wanted to con- saw a patient who didn't on them as well as their
Shah said she first saw a gala in November 2017 tinue her life as normally demand star treatment, colleagues.q

K-pop superstar group BTS will take break, but brief

By JONATHAN LANDRUM "It has been widely report- group's last scheduled per-
JR. ed that BTS will be taking formance before members
Associated Press a hiatus. To clarify, BTS will take "vacations" for the first
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A rep- only be taking a brief, but time since their 2013 debut.
resentative for K-pop su- well-deserved vacation," The agency didn't say
perstar group BTS said Tues- the group's rep said in an when BTS will start perform-
day the boy band is taking emailed statement. "We ing again.
a break, but it will only be want to assure all of the The company's website
brief. BTS ARMY, fans, friends and said BTS is scheduled to
BTS's rep told The Associ- the media that the group is perform in Riyadh, Saudi
ated Press that the seven- excited to get back on the Arabia, and Seoul in Octo-
member group will take a stage very soon for their ber.
"well-deserved vacation." scheduled stadium tour. BTS has a large interna-
It was recently reported More exciting BTS news and tional following and was
that BTS will head on an events to come!" the first K-pop act to debut
"extended" hiatus, but the BTS's agency Big Hit Enter- atop the Billboard Album In this photo from April 24, 2019, the K-pop BTS group arrives at
group's rep said that's not tainment said a concert chart last year with "Love the The Fact Music awards ceremony in Incheon, South Korea.
the case. Sunday in Seoul was the Yourself: Tear."q Associated Press