Singer Patti LaBelle Reveals She Lost Two Sisters to Lung Cancer

Singer Patti LaBelle is opening up and talking about the death of her two sisters who both died from lung cancer. After teaming up with the American Lung Association's LUNG FORCE initiative to raise awareness about the disease, the sweet potato pie queen reflected on her sisters' deaths.

"I lost two sisters, Vivian and Jackie, to lung cancer within two years of each other," the 71-year-old diva said. "They were both in their early 40s and, after being diagnosed, they left this planet within a year. And I've also lost friends to the disease. So this is personal for me."

She also remembered coming home at times and seeing her sisters really skinny (not knowing what lung cancer really did to a person). "By the time of their demise, every time I would come home from tour, because we all lived together at my mother's house, they were walking around all skinny and sick, not knowing what lung cancer really meant for them." LaBelle added that she "was not aware of all the factors about lung cancer until I joined the American Lung Association LUNG FORCE initiative."

At one time, LaBelle believed she wouldn't live to see the age of 50. She claimed that a lot of her family members had died before that milestone.

"When I turned 46, that was a blessing because my sisters died in their early 40s. My mother died of complications from diabetes. My father, from Alzheimer's. My other sister, of colon cancer."

The Grammy winner claimed that her family has been hit with a lot of hard illnesses. "My family has been touched by so many devastating issues, and illnesses, and I prayed to God that I wouldn't get any. But I am diabetic. I have diabetes-but diabetes doesn't have Patti. I'm off the insulin now. My A1C is almost normal. But no one is exempt from lung cancer or any type of illness. So I pray every day."

LaBelle also revealed that lung cancer is the highest killer among women.

"I don't think people know that it's the No. 1 cancer killer of women, more so than breast cancer, colon cancer and pancreatic cancer combined," LaBelle said. "One woman dies every eight minutes in the United States of lung cancer. Bottom line: We all can do more to learn about lung cancer and contribute something to the initiative."

Vowing to stay active with the LUNG FORCE, LaBelle encouraged people suffering with the illness. "If you have lung cancer, there's hope," she claimed. "There's hope, and there's time."

Below is a video of a woman named Nancy. When she was diagnosed with lung cancer, she said it started off as back pain, which led to kidney stones and then something more, lung cancer.

MStars News wants to hear from our readers...do you have or know someone who had or has lung cancer?