Liza Minelli
Liza Minnelli is held up as an example to her throat doctor's patients after she fought hard to get her singing voice back following surgery.
The Cabaret star was preparing for her big Broadway return in 1997 after taking over from an ill Julie Andrews in the production of Victor Victoria when she was diagnosed with nodes on her vocal cords.
Minnelli was left devastated after she was warned an operation to remove the lumps could end her singing career, but she trained every day with physicians and teachers to ensure her talent voice.
Her personal doctor was so impressed with her tenacity, he uses her as an example to spur on his new patients.
She tells Britain's OK! magazine, "I did Victor Victoria because Julie was ill and then I got nodes in my throat, which had to come off. I was told I would never sing again, and I thought, uh-uh, no, there's got to be a way.
"So I went to every good throat doctor I could find and then all of the best singing teachers and I just started all over again. In the hospital it was just the doctor, the nurse and myself.
"I was doing it alone. But I had to. I couldn't have done that with a lot of people around. Saying ABCs out loud. Over and over, every waking second. Counting out loud until I could form words. My throat now is evidently perfect! My doctor now shows my throat to people as an example that you can get well."
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