Joey Albert, 10 years nang walang cancer!

Sixty-six years old na pala si Joey Albert.

Hindi iisiping ganun na siya at parang kailan lang na naririnig natin ang mga kanta niya tulad ng Ikaw Lang Ang Mamahalin, Without You, I Remember the Boy, Points of View, Million Miles Away, Yakapin Mo Ako, Tell Me, Memories, Iisa Pa Lamang, at marami pang iba.

At hindi natin namalayan, 45 years na pala siya sa entertainment industry.

Sa 45 years niyang career aminado siyang akala niya ay katapusan na niya as a singer dahil may mga pagkakataong nawala na ang boses niya.

“I’m 66 now. So at some point, you know, your body changes and there are health challenges. And there was a time, for about six months, hindi ako nakakanta, and I had to go to the doctor.

“And I had to relearn how to sing, and that is why I do Joey’s Jams every Saturday (in here, Facebook page). I just have to keep using it, and this is my exercise for my voice. Para ‘pag gusto ko kumanta para sa tao, meron pang lalabas. But yes, I have to practice it palagi,” sabi niya kahapon nang tanungin namin siya kung paano niya na-preserve ang kanyang boses na parang wala talagang nagbago.

At nalampasan na raw niya ang health crisis na pinagdaanan niya, three times na cancer – 10 years na siyang cancer-free.

“I’m fine. I’m very, very well now. So the first one was in 1995, ‘yun ‘yung umalis na talaga ako. Actually ‘yun ‘yung reason na umalis na ako. Kasi sabi ko siguro dapat alagaan ko na lang muna ‘yung mga anak ko. Then it happened; it came back, ‘yung ano. Iba naman sa 2003, I had a worse one. And then the last, tapos nag-remission ako for 12 years.

“Tapos bumalik siya ng 2015. So it’s been 10 years na po kailang remission na ako. But of course, hindi pareho ‘yung lakas natin. But we adjust; we learn to accept kung ano ‘yung huminga na sa katawan natin.

“I also have other concerns, like most others my age. I always joke nga, sabi ko, “You can call me sis, kasi mayroon akong osteoporosis. May anterolisthesis, may madami ng sis.” So, you take care of yourself. I do Pilates once a week para mag-build your muscles around the bone. So, ganun na lang, tanggapin. Tapos gawin ko anong pwedeng magawa para lumakas ‘yung katawan,” mahabang sagot sa amin ni Ms. Joey sa media conference para nga sa kanyang 45th anniversary in music with a special concert featuring Martin Nievera, Raymond Lauchengco, Janet Basco, Iwi Laurel, Chad Borja, Janice de Belen, Judith Banal, and Pops Fernandez, magaganap sa April 26, Saturday, Newport Performing Arts Theater.

Pero naisip na ba niyang sumuko noon?

“Did I ever want to give up? No. When I left in 1995, it wasn’t really to give up on show business but to give way to something that, at that point in my life, I thought was more important.

“But I did think na makakalimutan ninyong lahat ako. I did think na hindi na ako makakanta ulit at that point in my life. I did think that it was the end. But I made the choice, eh.

“Pero bait naman ni Lord. But going back to your question of the health challenges, sometimes it’s not just the physical health that we start to worry about but our mental and emotional health. Kasi minsan, after three cancers, parang every time na lang syempre isipin mo, “Ito na ba?” Ito na ba ‘yung last? ‘Di ba? Pero labanan mo ‘yun. Kailangan mo nang labanan talaga kasi it’s like a mind game.

“Kailangan uunahan mo. Kung hindi, it will take you over naman. So when we get sick, we have to think about patients emotionally and mentally. Nowadays, mental illness is such a big problem among young people. So we have to strengthen them. We have to make them aware that they have to fight mentally also,” mahabang paglalahad ni Joey sa kanyang mga karanasan.

Si Pops Fernandez ang producer, DSL Productions, na sa umpisa raw ay marami pang ibang nag-o-offer na mag-produce ng FORTYfied, Joey Albert 45.

At walang regret si Ms. Joey sa naging decision niya noon na iwan ang Pilipinas at magpagamot sa Canada.

“Siguro, okay na rin kasi I get the best of both worlds. I have the peace of family life. Tapos, nakakaawit pa rin naman ako. Awa na Diyos, hindi pa rin ako nakakalimutan. So, para tama lang lahat. Okay na ako dun. Tsaka, I get good health care in Canada. I get very good health care, which I think I really need. So, I think it’s the best place to be for now. But of course, I miss it here. Kaya, thanks to you, nakakaawit pa ako.”