British songbird Julie Andrews, 66, has become an enthusiastic supporter of a pioneering vocal restoration research programme, hoping that it could one day help her sing again.
The actress and singer, whose voice thrilled audiences around the world in classic musicals such as The Sound Of Music and Mary Poppins, lost her ability to sing following a 1997 operation for non-cancerous throat nodules.
“At my age, I’m hoping there will be some restoration. That actually is a possibility,” Julie said, adding that the new research “certainly gives me great comfort and hope”. She was speaking at a news conference alongside a team of doctors from the three Massachusetts medical institutions participating in the project, which will tackle the problem through laser technology, tissue engineering and the latest developments in phonosurgery.
“The loss of my singing gift was a difficult chapter for me,” she admitted. “But I think there is a much, much greater problem, which is why I find it so exciting, and that is it can do so much good for so many people who have much more serious problems.”
The head of the vocal restoration project, Dr Steven Zeitels, whom Julie has been seeing for the past four years, said he was optimistic about what they might be able to do for the star’s condition. “We know where the problems are, millimetre by millimetre in her vocal folds. We now have some greater sense about restoring the areas where they are not as pliable.”
Julie who, following the operation which robbed her of her voice, sued doctors and the hospital, settling for an undisclosed amount, is passionate in her support for the doctors efforts. The voice is “something from your soul, from your heart. To be able to help preserve that… is just phenomenal,” she said.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
