Nivea Reveals Leukemia Diagnosis at 44, Says Treatment "Is Going Great

R&B singer Nivea has revealed she was diagnosed with leukemia earlier this year and says her treatment is going well.

Who Is Nivea

Nivea, born Nivea B. Hamilton, is a 44-year-old American R&B singer and songwriter. She rose to fame in the early 2000s with hits like “Don’t Mess With My Man” and “Okay.” Beyond her own music, she has also written songs for other major artists. She has four children and remains active in the music industry, including a run on the Millennium Tour in 2025, based on details from Rolling Out.

How She Shared The News

Nivea disclosed her diagnosis during an appearance on the digital series Cadillac Chronicles, hosted by Brian Freeman. She told him she was diagnosed with leukemia earlier this year and has been undergoing treatment since. She said the process has been going well and that she remains grateful, according to Complex.

What She Said About Her Diagnosis

Nivea confirmed her diagnosis is chronic myeloid leukemia, a slow-growing cancer of the bone marrow. She said the diagnosis came after two bone marrow biopsy procedures, since the first one was not successful. She told People she felt thankful it was not a more aggressive form that would have required chemotherapy, as reported by E! Online.

Understanding Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

Chronic myeloid leukemia, often shortened to CML, is a type of blood and bone marrow cancer. It usually progresses slowly compared to other forms of leukemia. Doctors told Nivea the condition was not caused by heredity or lifestyle factors, which she described as both a relief and a surprise, according to Yahoo Entertainment.

Detail	Information
Diagnosis	Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML)
Age at diagnosis	44
Treatment start	Early 2026
Cause	Not hereditary, not lifestyle related
Current status	Treatment ongoing, described as going well

Her Outlook During Treatment

Nivea said her diagnosis has shifted her perspective on life and relationships. She credited her faith for helping her through the physical and emotional demands of treatment. She also shared that she is currently studying audio engineering, with plans to learn how to mix her own music, according to TMZ.

Reaction From Fans And The Industry

Since the news became public, fans and members of the entertainment community have expressed support for Nivea across social media. Many have pointed to her openness as meaningful, especially since most artists tend to keep serious health matters private, based on reporting from Rolling Out.

FAQ: Nivea Reveals Leukemia Diagnosis at 44, Says Treatment “Is Going Great”

Q. What did Nivea reveal about her health?

Singer Nivea, best known for “Don’t Mess with My Man,” revealed she was diagnosed with leukemia during an appearance on “Cadillac Chronicles,” saying she was diagnosed earlier this year and has been going through treatment, with everything going great so far.

Q. What type of leukemia does Nivea have?

Her representative later clarified to People that she was specifically diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) in early 2026. CML is described as an uncommon variation of blood marrow cancer that progresses slowly and often impacts older adults, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Q. How was Nivea diagnosed?

Nivea said she was surprised the diagnosis was confirmed after two bone marrow biopsy procedures, since the first one wasn’t successful, and she was thankful it wasn’t Blast phase, which would have meant chemotherapy as part of treatment.

Q. What stage is Nivea’s leukemia?

Nivea was diagnosed with the chronic phase of CML, which usually responds well to standard treatments, according to the American Cancer Society.

Q. Is Nivea’s leukemia hereditary or lifestyle-related?

Doctors told Nivea the disease was neither hereditary nor lifestyle-induced, which she described as a relief yet still a bit puzzling.

Q. How is Nivea’s treatment going?

Nivea said everything is going great so far and that she expects it to continue.

Q. How has the diagnosis changed Nivea’s outlook on life?

Nivea said the experience helped put a lot of things into perspective and that she now lives in gratitude religiously. She said everything has been put into perspective, from her relationships to her career.

Q. What has Nivea been doing since her diagnosis?

Nivea said she’s back into her music and going to school for audio engineering, since she’s always wanted to learn mixing engineering. She also took part in the Millennium Tour in 2025.

Q. Does Nivea have children?

Nivea shares a son with Lil Wayne and three children with The-Dream, whom she married in 2004 before their divorce was finalized in 2008.

Q. When did Nivea first share her diagnosis publicly?

Nivea disclosed her diagnosis during an appearance on “Cadillac Chronicles,” a show hosted by Brian Freeman, with the interview circulating through entertainment media this week after first being reported by Cover Media via Yahoo Entertainment.