Kylie Minogue Opens Up on Cancer Battle
Kylie Minogue spoke about her life-changing battle with breast cancer at Thursday night's EIF Women's Cancer Research Fund's 16th Annual "An Unforgettable Evening" Presented by Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills, Calif., where the 44-year-old star received the 2013 Courage Award.
Minogue was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005, and underwent both surgery and chemotherapy. But the widespread coverage of her battle with cancer did result in what many have called "The Kylie Effect" -- the term for the unprecedented increase in bookings for breast screening due to the awareness the pop star caused.
"When there is a diagnosis, it's fair to say that it rocks your world," Minogue admitted to the star-studded crowd which included Chelsea Handler, Julianne Hough, Lisa Kudrow and Kobe Bryant. "So much so that I don't like to take myself back to thinking about that time. ... and I was reminded about how much courage was around me at the time when I needed it. ... Courage from my parents, my brother, sister, boyfriend [she was in a relationship with actor Olivier Martinez at the time], friends, fans, and any courage that I displayed was aided because of their strength and belief and support."
Prior to her moving speech, Minogue admitted that she had hesitations about attending the event in the first place.
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"To be perfectly honest, when they first asked me about it, I wasn't really sure if I could do it because one doesn't like to relive a lot of those memories," she said. "But the work that they do is fantastic, and any help that we can offer people who are currently suffering, or who sadly, will be diagnosed in the future, it's really important."
Check out the video to hear Angie Harmon's own heartbreaking personal connection to the disease, as well as Handler bring some comic relief to the night with her trademark humor.