On a summer day in 2018, fans around the Arab world sat down to watch what they assumed would be a typical Elissa release: a glossy music video from her new album. Instead, the Lebanese superstar used “Ila Kol Elli Bihebbouni” (“For All Those Who Love Me”) to reveal that she had secretly fought – and beaten – breast cancer.
Gulf News reported that the clip, shared first on social media, stunned fans who thought they were simply getting another romantic ballad. The video opens not on a stage, but in a hospital: a woman inside an MRI machine, a date stamp reading December 26, 2017, and a blunt subtitle – “you have cancer.”
“You Are the Reason I Am Strong and Healthy”
Elissa’s reveal came in a tweet linking to the video: “You are the reason I am strong and healthy… you are my strength. And this story is a thank you ‘for all those who love me.’”
In the clip, real voice notes she sent to her director friend Angy Jammal play over images of scans, hospital corridors and treatment rooms. She describes her shock at the diagnosis, the “black thoughts” that followed, and the fear that she might never again see the people she loves – all while insisting on keeping her illness hidden from the public as she continued to record and perform.
At one point, the video shows her collapsing on stage during a February 2018 concert in Dubai – an incident that made headlines at the time and was initially brushed off as exhaustion. Only later did fans understand that she had been undergoing radiotherapy while maintaining a full touring schedule.
A Secret Battle, Then a Public Victory
According to later interviews, Elissa had been diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer at the end of 2017. She chose to keep the news private, telling almost no one while she went through surgery and rounds of treatment.
By the time the video was released in August 2018, she had completed treatment and gotten the all-clear. The clip ends with a simple on-screen message in Arabic: “I’ve recovered, I’ve beaten the illness and I won… Early detection of breast cancer can save your life. Don’t ignore it, face it. Do it not only for yourself, but for your loved ones.”
What could have remained a private trauma became, by deliberate choice, a public campaign. Elissa turned her own survival into a narrative that pushed millions of viewers to think about screening and early detection.
Breaking a Taboo in the Arab World
Breast cancer is still treated as an uncomfortable topic across much of the Middle East. Patients often hide their diagnosis; some relatives avoid even saying the word “cancer,” referring to it only as “that disease.” Health advocates have long warned that this silence discourages women from getting mammograms or seeking help early.
That is why Elissa’s decision to show hospital scenes, treatment sessions and genuine moments of panic felt so radical. Her video “Ila Kol Elli Bihebbouni” was widely described as having “broken the taboo,” with hashtags bearing her name and the song title trending across the region as fellow celebrities and ordinary fans shared messages of support and stories of their own diagnoses.
Critics and health professionals quickly recognised the impact. Many doctors praised the video as bold and progressive, arguing that such high-profile openness could encourage more women to seek screening before it is too late.
From Survivor to Ambassador
Elissa has since embraced a new public role as a breast cancer awareness advocate. She has spoken at medical forums about how she kept working through treatment and appeared at awareness events urging women to take check-ups seriously, especially if they have a family history of the disease.
Her story has been cited as an example of how popular culture can push sensitive health issues into mainstream conversation, turning a personal ordeal into a regional awareness campaign.
Why Elissa’s Video Still Matters
Years later, “Ila Kol Elli Bihebbouni” is more than just a hit in Elissa’s catalogue. For many women, it is the moment they first saw someone from their own region, speaking their own language, show the messy reality behind a breast cancer diagnosis – and still project strength and glamour on stage.
For Lebanon and its diaspora, the video arrived at a time when the country’s crises – economic, political, even environmental – made conversations about health feel like a luxury. Elissa’s message cut through the noise: no matter how difficult the context, early detection can be the difference between tragedy and survival.
For Nowleb, her story sits at the intersection of entertainment, courage and public health. A superstar used the biggest tool she had – her music – to say something that too often goes unsaid: don’t wait, don’t hide, and don’t underestimate the power of telling your story so that others can live.
Source: Gulf News – “Lebanese singer Elissa announces she has fought breast cancer through new video”, with additional context from regional coverage.
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