Zsa Zsa has stage 1 kidney cancer

LOS ANGELES – Still grieving over the death of her long-time partner Dolphy, singer and actress Zsa Zsa Padilla has more bad news.

As if things couldn’t get worse, the 48-year-old Padilla told ABS-CBN News that she has been diagnosed with stage one cancer.

She has a malignant growth the size of a golf ball inside her kidney, her doctor at Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, California have told her.

“The first time I saw Dr. Folkes, he immediately told me it was malignant. So when I heard that word ‘malignant,’ I said, ‘Oh man, I have cancer.’ I went back the next day for blood work and a scan and it showed the same thing — almost a 3 centimeters growth — and he advised for it to be taken out,” Padilla said.

Last Saturday marked 40 days since Dolpy’s death.

Friends and family gathered to pray for the well-loved Filipino King of Comedy at St. Patrick’s Church in North Hollywood.

Unknown to the many guests, the grieving widow, who arrived in Los Angeles last week, remains devastated.

She hasn’t spoken much since the death of Dolphy.

“Talaga I’m still in denial. Part of me is still in the stage of denial. Then I try to recall everything that has happened – [him] getting sick, being in the hospital, staying in the ICU - everything up to his death. But part of me still feels I’ll see him again,” she said.

With Dolphy’s death and this recent news of her illness, Padilla said she remains steadfast in prayer.

She said it has put a lot of things in perspective and she’s already made a bucket list.

Despite the circumstances surrounding her, Padilla said she wants people around her to stay positive.

“This is the first stage. Once it’s removed, I’ll be cancer-free. I’m going to take care of myself and eat well,” she said.

Padilla will have a surgery on August 27 at Cedars Sinai. If it goes well, she will be out of the hospital in two days and will be back to work in a month.

Padilla added that once she becomes a cancer survivor, she hopes to raise awareness.

For most people, having their husband pass away and immediately being diagnosed with cancer would be too overwhelming.

Padilla, though, is committed to staying strong. She said she is looking for the challenge and ready to live life day by day. (FREEMAN)