Ghanaian-British singer Stephanie Benson has recounted serious health complications she faced after undergoing surgery to remove both breasts following her cancer diagnosis.

Speaking on Hitz FM on October 7, 2026, Stephanie said choosing to have a double mastectomy was a difficult decision, especially because her left breast was affected and attempts to reconstruct it came with further complications.

She disclosed that she spent about 34 hours undergoing surgery and at one point nearly lost her life.

“When I found out I had to remove both breasts, it wasn’t an easy process. I was in surgery for about 34 hours, and I almost died. It was a tough journey,” she said.

The singer also spoke about a terrifying experience she had after one of the operations, when fluid started collecting in her chest and made it difficult for her to breathe.

She said a Malaysian nurse who was close by realised that her condition was getting worse and quickly contacted the doctors, who had already left the hospital for the day.

'It's about time women had more than one husband' – Stephanie Benson

“There was a Malaysian nurse sitting next to me. At that time, all the doctors had closed and had gone home. She noticed that something had gone wrong. It looked like I was going in and out of death. She called the doctors and started praying.

“She prayed for an hour until the doctor came, and they rushed me back and cleared the muscle from my stomach. They removed a bone from my chest. It was terrible,” she said.

Despite the seriousness of her condition, Stephanie said she was grateful to have survived and remained positive during her recovery.

“I was very lucky to come out, but I was very optimistic. Two days later, I was getting up, going to the other ladies who had their breasts removed to put them up, be excited, because a lot of women were depressed and very sad that they had had their breasts removed,” she said.

She said having her children around her during the recovery period also helped her maintain a positive outlook. Rather than focusing on losing her breasts, she chose to appreciate the opportunity to stay alive.

“I had my children in my room chatting. I just felt that God has given me a chance. I wasn’t going to be worried about my breast not being there. I was going to live. It’s much more important than grieving breasts. Holding onto breast killed my mother,” she said.

According to Stephanie, her experience has influenced her desire to support other women who may be struggling with their bodies after a cancer diagnosis.

“So since then, my job has been to help women be more comfortable with their bodies, especially when they are going through cancers, and to make the decisions for themselves to stay alive for their children, not for somebody else,” she added.

“I was in surgery for about 34 hours to have my breast removed, and I almost died.” — @StephanieBLive

#DaybreakHitz #Hitz1039FM #JoyDigital #HitzBeachRave https://t.co/NLKldCxyVY

— Hitz 103.9 FM (@Hitz1039FM) October 7, 2026