A source tells New Idea that keeping the health crisis under wraps was of paramount importance to Delta’s management, as well as The Voice producers.
“She was rushed to St Vincent’s Private Hospital here in Sydney under a shroud of secrecy,” says the insider. “Everyone were adamant that it be kept quiet – and thankfully it was.”
After making a full recovery, Delta, says the source, was compelled to name St Vincent’s as the benefactor of her new foundation. The charitable star was treated at the same hospital when she was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma as an 18-year-old back in 2003.
The six-minute video (watch at top of article) detailed the deeply personal journey that she went through while writing her new single Paralyzed and what it meant to her.
“Delta woke up from surgery to find that she had lost the ability to control her speech,” text in the video explained.
“Complications after the removal of Delta’s salivary gland led to a paralysis of a nerve in her tongue.”
An emotional Delta appeared in the footage in hospital and is audibly unable to speak the same way she normally does.
“I’m taking this as a rebirth thing, that’s what it means. Rebirth. Thirty four,” she said.
While she attempts to stay positive throughout the ordeal, at one point Delta broke down and tearfully confessed: “I don’t want to go out, I’m super embarrassed, I’m over it.”
As a singer, her voice is crucial to her career and Delta admitted the potentially permanent loss is weighing on her mind.
“My livelihood is my sound,” she said, before later adding, “I’m trying to decide whether this is getting any better or not. It doesn’t feel like it.”
More text then explained that it was unknown when – or if – Delta’s nerve damage will ever recover and Delta is put into months of daily speech therapy as she attempts to get better.
Videos recorded along the way show her progress as Delta at one point admitted, “This has been a little bit harder than I expected but all is going to be ok.”
