Natalie Cole Has Hepatitis C

Natalie Cole has contracted Hepatitis C, which kills the liver. She suspects she caught the disease from past drug use. Pamela Anderson also has hepatitis C. Natalie released this statement:

"I’ve been so fortunate to have learned so much from my past experience. I am embraced by the love and support of my family and friends. I am committed to my belief in myself and in my abiding faith to meet this challenge with a heartfelt optimism and determination. This is how I intend to deal with this current challenge in my life."

Natalie’s doctor, Dr. Graham Woolf, says that Natalie has had a "terrific response to her medication and is now virus negative. This gives her an increased chance of cure."

There is no cure for Hepatitis C. Medications simply reduce the amount of virus in the blood, so less liver damage will ocur. Eventually though, the virus always comes back once infected.

Natalie will continue working, and is planning to release a new album in September called Still Unforgettable.