Singer Alexandra Burke has announced the passing of her Soul II Soul singer mother – Melissa Bell. The 53-year-old member of the Grammy-winning group, passed away after a nine-year battle with kidney failure, which was brought on by diabetes. A statement from the Burke family said Bell died on August 28 and paid tribute to her ‘unconditional love, support, charisma, strength and courage’In 2013, Burke revealed that she had been looking after her mother, who was on life-saving dialysis eight hours a day.
She also began to raise the profile of organ donation after Ms Bell refused to take her daughter’s. In a joint interview four years ago, Burke said: ‘I’ve tried three or four times. But Mum made the choice and shut down the discussion because the doctors said it could mean I wouldn’t be able to conceive.
‘She didn’t want to restrict me from having my own life. But I was willing to adopt because I want to do that anyway.’ Ms Bell said that asking her famous daughter to give away a kidney would be ‘downright wicked and selfish’. Burke responded by telling her, ‘I don’t think it would be a selfish choice. It’s been offered to you. I’m your daughter. Take it!’.
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