TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian actress, singer, and host Yuli Rachmawati, popularly known as Julia Perez or Jupe, has died of cervical cancer on Saturday, June 10, at Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital (RSCM) in Central Jakarta. She was 36.
The news of her death was confirmed through the Instagram account of her sister, Nia Anggia (@anggithepereze). “Innalilahiwainailahirojiun. Our beloved sister has passed away. Please pray for her. And thank you for your supports so far. I LOVE YOU YULI,” she said.
Jupe first revealed that she has cervical cancer two years ago when she tearfully announced to the press that her cancer had already reached Stage 2A at that point.
“I used to be blinded by my riches, my fame. I once felt like I was a great celebrity. I can buy this and that. I almost forgot about death and when I got ill, I was reminded [about what’s important in life], so God gave me something beautiful,” Jupe said.
“I have to make myself strong. I have to be ready to face this,” she added.
Jupe was born in Jakarta on 15 July 1980. She is the eldest of three sisters born to Angkasa Jaya, a former football player for a club in Bandar Lampung city, and Sri Wulansih.
Data from the 2002 World Health Organization (WHO) shows that one woman dies every hour from cervical cancer.
“Out of every 1,000 woman we screen, we diagnose one woman with cervical cancer,” said Andrijono, Chairman of the Indonesian Working Group on Human Papillomavirus (HPV) during the launching of the Indonesian Coalition to Prevent Cervical Cancer in Jakarta recently.
ALIA