Etta James, the popular blues singer known for songs “At Last,” and “Tell Mamma” is terminally ill, according to her live-in doctor.
“At the present time, Etta is considered terminally ill,” Dr. Elaine James told The Press Enterprise in a video posted on the newspaper’s website. The diagnosis was also made by an oncologist and an internist from a local hospital, she said.
“Etta has many many medical problems,” added the doctor, who is not related to the singer.
The doctor said that her chronic leukemia was declared incurable two weeks ago, adding that the singer also has dementia and chronic kidney disease. Court papers acquired by the newspaper state that she has kidney failure, but Dr. James said the singer’s kidneys are not quite there yet.
James, 73, can’t communicate much, said the doctor, who added that she usually gets a couple of yes or no answers from the singer. “But generally she’ll fall back asleep,” the doctor said.
James currently lives in Riverside, California, and her doctor has been living with the singer since March 2010.
She said she is informing people about James’ condition to ask “for prayers of her fans and friends.”
The singer’s two sons told Reuters that they were not sure if the terminally ill diagnosis was correct. They also said her family did not agree to announce James’ prognosis.
