Unlucky news for Kylie Minogue

May 17 2005

The 36-year-old Australian Pop Diva was diagnosed with breast cancer while visiting her family at home in Melbourne, her management confirmed.

The Australian leg of Minogue's Showgirl tour, scheduled to kick off Thursday in Sydney, was postponed indefinitely upon the diagnosis to allow her to begin treatment immediately.

"Whilst at home in Melbourne with her family this week prior to her Australian Showgirl Tour, Kylie was diagnosed with early breast cancer," Minogue's tour company, Frontier Touring, stated. "She will undergo immediate treatment and consequently her Showgirl tour will not be able to proceed as planned."

The "Love At First Sight" singer expressed disappointment about canceling the tour but remained hopeful about her prognosis.

"I was so looking forward to bringing the Showgirl tour to Australian audiences, and am sorry to have to disappoint my fans," Minogue said in a statement on her official Website. "Nevertheless, hopefully all will work out fine and I'll be back with you all again soon."

Minogue's Website was rapidly flooded with messages from well-wishers all over the world.

Frontier Touring head Michael Gudinski told an Australian television station that he was "hoping and praying" for Minogue's recovery.

"She is a pretty fit, strong girl. I'm hoping and praying because the doctor found it so early that everything will be okay," Gudinski said. "Our thoughts, and I'm sure all the legions of Kylie's fans, will be with her all the way."

Minogue was also scheduled to headline England's Glastonbury festival on June 26 but was forced to cancel the appearance.

"It's really sad news for Kylie. Our thoughts are with her and her family at this very difficult time," festival co-organizer Emily Eavis told the BBC. "It's much too early to speculate who may replace Kylie in the program."

Minogue rose to fame in the 1980s as a star on the hit Australian soap opera Neighbours and later launched her pop career with bubblegum classics such as "The Loco-Motion" and "I Should Be So Lucky."

She enjoys icon status in the U.K. where she has had 37 hit singles to date. She made her U.S. comeback with 2002's Fever, which reached number three on the Billboard charts and sold more than 3 million copies, mostly on the strength of dance tune "Can't Get You out of My Head."

Minogue has raised money in support of breast cancer research in recent years and worked to raise awareness of prostate cancer after her father was diagnosed with the disease.

Three years ago, one of her skimpiest bras was auctioned off for about $4,415 in support of U.K. organization Breast Cancer Care.