Updated October 29th, 2020

In Birthday Message to Twins CÃ©line Dion Tells Her Boys That Their Dad, Who Died of Throat Cancer, Is “Watching Over” Them

CÃ©line Dion's husband, RenÃ© AngÃ©lil, passed away in 2016 at 73 after a battle with throat cancer; Dion makes sure to keep his memory alive.

Anne McCarthy

Details

Dion Remembers Her Husband, RenÃ©

Singer CÃ©line Dion, 52, lost her husband, RenÃ© AngÃ©lil, four years ago to throat cancer.
She mentions him in an Instagram post for her twin sons' 10th birthday
Throat cancer is more common in men than in women, and a leading cause of this cancer is HPV.

It’s been four years since CÃ©line Dion lost her love, RenÃ© AngÃ©lil, to throat cancer, but she is keeping his memory alive. He was 73 years old when he passed, leaving behind his three children and CÃ©line.

She posted on her Instagram for her son’s birthday, writing:

“Nelson and Eddy, you have been bringing so much joy, love and laughter into our lives every single day for the past 10 years. You make me, your big brother and your Dad, who is for sure watching over you, so very proud. Happy birthday my beautiful boys! We love you so very much… – Mom, RC and Dad xx…

RenÃ©’s Cancer Battle

RenÃ© was first diagnosed with throat cancer in 1998, and later went into remission. However, his cancer returned in 2014. Four years after Dion and RenÃ© got married, he was diagnosed after doctors found a lump on his neck that was malignant. Following the cancer’s recurrence in 2014, RenÃ© had surgery which removed parts of his tongue.

Throat cancer, says the American Cancer Society (ACS), will be diagnosed in approximately 12,370 in the U.S. this year. Men outpace throat cancer cases by a significant margin, with 9,820 of the new cases in men, and only 2,550 in women.

What Causes Throat Cancer

The majority of throat cancer diagnoses are caused by Human papillomavirus (HPV). Dr. Ted Teknos, a head and neck cancer surgeon, tells SurvivorNet, “What we know now, through science, is going back and looking, decade by decade, the rates of HPV-related head and neck cancer have increased exponentially.”

“If you look at the percentage of patients who developed throat cancer,” says Dr. Teknos, “in the 80s compared to the 2010s, if you will, the rate of HPV-related head and neck cancers has gone up by 300%. HPV causes throat cancer, and it’s a sexually transmitted disease. And it’s something that is an epidemic in the United States.”

Dr. Ted Teknos tells us that HPV has over 120 different strains, but that HPV 16 “has been shown to cause 92% of head and neck cancers related to HPV.”

Majority of Throat Cancer Diagnoses Are Caused by HPV Here's What You Need to Know

Moving Forward & Cherishing Memories

Coping with the loss of a spouse to cancer can be devastating. Like Dion shows, it may ease the grieving process to honor the memory of those you’ve lost.

Other people coping with and moving through grief find support groups and therapy to be beneficial tools, along with the support of friends, family, and loved ones. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you’re struggling, so you can make your burden less heavy to bear. Hearing the stories of others who have lost a spouse, like Dion, can also be an inspiration to those going through the same loss.

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