It's terrible, really. Kaori Kawamura was one of those women who managed to make a name for herself in a genre of music dominated by men. Aside from the fact that I found her incredibly beautiful, I always admired how she'd put on a strong face, even when diagnosed with breast cancer back in 2004. The same disease that claimed the life of her mother years earlier. 

After seemingly beat the odds and having removed an entire breast, she had the guts to pose for pictures, showing her scar to the world. I'm actually in a bit of shock though. I didn't really see this coming, as last I had heard, her cancer had cleared up. Little did I know that it was merely in remission. Last year, her cancer apparently returned, spreading rapidly to her lungs and bones, prematurely ending Kaori's life at the untimely age of 38. 

Having known her end was coming, she had spent this year performing, writing a new album, and publishing a book. I suppose nobody can fault her for wanting to make the most of her time. If you'd like to hear her music, you can check out some videos after the jump.