Taylor Dayne Cancer-Free After Routine Checkup Saves Her Life

Taylor Dayne has every reason to throw a party right now. The pop icon who made history with her 1980s anthem 'Tell It To My Heart' is currently busy prepping for her first Las Vegas residency at Harrah's Las Vegas. This Grammy-nominated artist told Fox News Digital in 2022 that she had been privately fighting stage 2 colon cancer, but now she has the all-clear and plans to celebrate with fans.

"I've been cancer-free for four years now," she said with a smile during the interview. "I've been on the path of being very ardent about taking care of my health and being on top of my colonoscopies. There are no guarantees in life, but especially as women, we need to advocate for our health and be on top of our checkups."

She was already doing routine screenings when doctors found a cluster of polyps. It took just that simple visit to catch a very aggressive growth before it escalated quickly. "It was through a routine checkup that they found a very aggressive polyp," the singer explained. "This is how quickly these things can escalate and really take a turn." Her reaction was immediate action rather than panic. She asked herself, 'What do I do right now?'

Dayne did not show any symptoms before her diagnosis at age 50. Now she is 64. Doctors told her that time to get screened had arrived then. "Now's the time to go in for this," she recalled them saying. The rules have changed since then because of our food, diets, and daily exposures. People must think about their health timeline much earlier than before. Most people are busy working, busy being parents, busy juggling lives. We cannot leave our health on the sidelines.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that adults at average risk begin colorectal cancer screening at age 45. That is down from the old standard of 50. Those with higher risks or family histories may need to start even sooner. "I thought it was a male-dominated disease, like prostate cancer," she admitted. The word 'colon' did not resonate with her or anyone in her family until she learned that lesson the hard way. She decided to be her own warrior and champion.

She started by asking why polyps kept appearing. You must be your own voice when you need information and a plan. Dayne also highlighted speaking up early as critical. Advocating for yourself is often harder when you are seriously ill. "When you're that ill, there's very little that the person can do," she explained. Usually, an advocate is a partner or spouse. Sometimes it is just yourself. She met many survivors with whom she shares common ground now. That connection brought love to her heart and turned on a lightbulb inside her. It created a fierce desire to live and push through obstacles.

Her new health focus connects deeply to wanting to be present for her children. "Your kids don't think of you as having a career," she said. They do not care about fame or awards. All they want is their needs met. You are just mom to them. She became a different kind of touring artist after raising them alone. Touring used to be the biggest part of her job, but she was also the mother bird who needed to return to the nest every time.

Dayne follows a strict health regimen that helps her look and feel great as she gets ready for Las Vegas. "I'm very religious with my morning ritual, whatever my morning looks like," she said. Her schedule can swing from one o'clock in the afternoon down to five in the morning. She takes peptides and collagen daily.

I do my bone broth. I do copper for my skin. I want to be optimal." That is the mindset of Taylor Dayne. It takes stretching, Pilates, yoga, and daily exercise to get there. You have to take care of yourself spiritually, emotionally, and mentally. "It's a real juggle," Dayne said. The first moment you have in the morning, the first two minutes you have, should be centering yourself. And then I do my tinctures. I also like to have a big ol' smoothie. I usually have just liquids in the morning. I also love soursop, especially when I travel. I have to have a healthy lifestyle to meet the demands of what it takes to be physically on stage every night.

Long before her health battle, Dayne experienced another life-changing moment, realizing just how quickly "Tell It to My Heart" had made her a star. "I was in Munich preparing to make an appearance and I said, 'What are all these people doing outside? Why is their hair crimped? Why do they have red lips? Oh my God, they look like me,'" Dayne recalled.

"It's not overnight stardom because I spent 15, 16, 17 in every club conceivable in New York in the '80s," she said. "But when you have a single like that, the next thing you know, you're on 'Top of the Pops.' I just knew my life would never be the same. I had no idea people would love my music so much, that they would want to look like me. Here we are, 39 years later."

"I never said, 'This is going to last forever,'" she said, reflecting on her fame. "How could you ever know? It was a moment. I was young, I was 22, 23. You just want to catch the wind."

Nearly four decades into her career, Dayne sees her upcoming Las Vegas residency as a victory lap. "This is the cherry on top and recognizing that after three decades in this business, my music is still the soundtrack of so many people's lives," she said. "I am honored. My health, my wellness, my family, I am grateful for it all."

Taylor Dayne's "Tell It to My Heart" residency begins Nov. 24, with performances continuing through Jan. 2. Tickets are on sale now.