Tina Arena has spoken publicly for the first time about a devastating health crisis that brought her career – and her life – to a sudden halt.
The Australian performer revealed that a severe kidney infection escalated into septicaemia in 2023, forcing her into intensive care and ultimately leading to the cancellation of her tour.
What began as a serious illness quickly turned critical, with Tina spending six days in ICU as doctors fought to stabilise her.
“It got really bad, I spent six days in ICU, I had a really bad kidney infection and stones that turned into septicaemia,’’ Tina told Herald Sun.
The ordeal left the powerhouse vocalist physically and emotionally shattered, and recovery wasn’t quick or easy.
“It annihilated me for about eight or nine months before I got up and was able to walk on a stage,” she told the publication. “The psychological work I had to do in order to go ‘can I do this?’
“I was really lucky because when I went in my organ was starting to shut down so I didn’t understand when I was going through it, I was totally delirious when you’re in that much pain.”
Now regaining her strength, Tina is sharing her story to highlight the importance of blood and plasma donation through Australian Red Cross Lifeblood.
“Something like that gives you perspective where you go, ‘I’m in danger here’,’’ Tina said.
“When you’re in that position you realise how important something like life blood is because people are sick all the time and need help. Unless we donate as people there’s never going to be enough to go around.”
The singer says the experience has altered her outlook in profound ways.
“The beautiful thing about getting older for me is you have a capacity to zoom out because you let a lot of things go,’’ Tina said.
“When you’re in a fragile position like that your ego doesn’t come into it. It’s just a question of survival. What it’s given me is a profound understanding of how lucky I am to be in a country where we are lucky to get really great medical help so I just feel really fortunate.”
Now back in good health, Tina is preparing to tour France in October.
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