`Licence To Kill` singer Patti LaBelle talks about her bout with cancer

R&B legend Patti LaBelle had a breast-cancer scare last month, but didn't tell anyone in her family about it - reports Fox.

LaBelle announced it last night at Denise Rich's biannual Angel Ball for Cancer Research. The event — in the ballroom of the Marriott Marquis in Times Square — raised $3.3 million, including a $1 million donation from the royal family of Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates.

Lorraine Bracco, Star Jones, Natalie Cole, Ruben Studdard, Ivana Trump, Leela James, Sarah Dash of LaBelle fame, BMI's Frances Preston, "Star Caps" queen Nikki Haskell and the illustrious Clive Davis were just some of the famous faces who either took tables or performed in the show.

Guest star Stevie Wonder played piano for LaBelle and his daughter Aisha Morris, and led all the singers in a big jam-session version of Martha Reeves' old hit, "Dancin' in the Streets."

But it was LaBelle's heartfelt speech that stole the audience's heart ... and that wasn't easy. Glamour magazine editor Cindi Leive also spoke beautifully, as did fellow nominees Russell and Kimora Lee Simmons.

Patti, however, never does anything small.

When she told the story of getting her mammogram and waiting for the results, it was the first anyone at her table had heard of it, including one of her own sons.

Patti lost her three sisters to cancer, so the news that there "might" be something to worry about freaked her out, to say the least. Her brother is also gone, as are her parents.

But LaBelle is a fighter. As a testament to her survival, she sang "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" for Denise, and got a surprise when the curtain pulled back to show the pianist was none other than Stevie Wonder.

Sharon Stone did not show up for the Angel Ball, and those close to Denise confirmed that their brief friendship is over.

According to my sources, Denise sank at least $300,000 into a charity single with Sharon, but the two could not get along. The single is still scheduled for release on Nov. 29, so it should be interesting.

Stone, who may be up for a Best Supporting Actress award for "Broken Flowers," was supposed to appear at the 92nd St. Y tonight with moderator/reviewer Annette Insdorf. But my sources tell me Stone demanded that the Y supply a bodyguard and extra security that would have been too expensive for the organization's pocketbook.

Meanwhile, back to LaBelle: I am also told that her UPN special pulled a huge rating for that little network. Maybe that will catch the attention of Def Jam's L.A. Reid.

As I reported a couple of weeks ago, Reid has seemingly dropped LaBelle from his label and refused to put out or promote a new single for her album "I'll Stand by You."

Reid, however, did throw a 16th birthday bash for his son Aaron on Friday night at Jay-Z's 40/40 club. I hear many Def Jam artists were guests, and some even performed.

Aaron was heard boasting to his friends that his dad bought him a Bentley Continental, too. If so, that must be where all the LaBelle promo money has gone.

A Bentley Continental GT costs around $170,000, around $100,000 more than it would cost to convince radio stations to play a new LaBelle single.

Thanks to `Kyvan` for the alert.

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