Legendary house music singer, Kathy Brown has been diagnosed with stage four lung cancer with the disease spreading to her brain.
The American singer, 63, known for songs including Turn Me Out (Turn to Sugar) and Strings of Life (Stronger on My Own) was diagnosed late last year after being admitted to ICU in her hometown of Charleston, South Carolina.
Doctors performed surgery to try and reduce swelling in Brown’s brain – with the star currently undergoing a course of radiotherapy and immunotherapy.
Kathy’s daughter Chanta Joyner has set up a GoFundMe to fund medical expenses and monthly bills for the family.
Chanta wrote: ‘As the news is only just sinking in we are already facing the harsh reality of what this means for my mother – not only the physical and medical challenges but also the many financial ones.
‘Like most artists who have devoted their careers to dance music, without being able to perform LIVE there’s little to no chance of earning an income. My mother has poured her heart and soul onto stages and dance floors all over the world for more than thirty years, and now she needs your love and support more than ever.
‘My siblings and I are going to do everything we can to take care of her, but the costs we are facing with medical expenses and monthly bills are overwhelming.
‘My mom deserves the best care and comfort that money can buy. I know that she has thousands of fans all over the world who adore her voice and her beautiful spirit.
‘Please consider contributing to assist Kathy and get her through the weeks and months ahead. The London-based record label ‘Revival’ that she has recently been working with has offered to match contributions up to $10,000.
‘Let’s show my mom that the dance music community really is an extended family who keep each other lifted not only in the good times but the hard times too. Thank you for the love, support and many messages that you have been posting and sending to Kathy. I promise you that she sees every single one, and they mean so very much to her.
Brown originally found fame as the chart-topping lead singer of the group Praxis before having US dance hits on her own.
In 1999 she climbed to #4 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart with Joy and in 2004 was the credited lead vocalist on the British act Soul Central’s Strings Of Life (Stronger On My Own), a track that samples Rhythm Is Rhythm’s 1989 House classic.
Over the years she featured on dozens of house and club singles.
