Anastacia Recovering from Double Mastectomy

Anastacia announced Tuesday that she is recovering from a double mastectomy after the “It’s A Man’s World” singer was diagnosed with breast cancer for the second time in a decade.

“I wanted to share something with you in light of Breast Cancer Awareness month,” she wrote on Facebook. “I was diagnosed with breast cancer for the second time earlier this year and am currently in the final stages of recovery after undergoing a double mastectomy with Latissimus Dorsi flap surgical procedure.

“It has been an intense journey, but I am feeling great and ready to start the next chapter,” the 45-year-old continued. “Breast Cancer Awareness Month gives ALL who are facing this disease a chance to gain strength and support from each other. Early detection saved my life twice.”

Anastacia (full name: Anastacia Lyn Newkirk) was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003 when she went to the doctor for breast-reduction surgery.

Her mammogram detected tiny, dense specks of calcium in her left breast. The finding was Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS), in which the cancer cells are confined to the milk ducts of the breast.

“I saved my own life just because I wanted to reduce my breast size,” Anastacia told PEOPLE in 2003. “I didn’t have breast cancer in my family. I didn’t have a lump in my breast. This would not have been detected with a self-exam.”

The diagnosis turned the singer into a passionate advocate for mammograms. “If there’s anything I’ve learned from this, it’s to get a mammogram early.”

The singer has battled a number of serious illnesses in her life, including, at 13 , Crohn’s Disease, a chronic inflammatory condition of the gastrointestinal tract that required surgery to remove part of her intestine and left her with a six-inch scar.

After her second breast cancer diagnosis in February 2013, Anastacia was forced to cancel a European tour for her new album.

She has remained upbeat, however, posting a sideways Twitter photo Sept. 23 and stating, “O Lord hre we go again. Hahaha. Follow-up Doc apt. Then studio time. Help need sum1 2 tutor me on ths phn.”

She’s also been an outspoken advocate for Breast Cancer Awareness and the importance of educating and empowering women to take charge of their own breast health.

“I will continue to battle,” she wrote Tuesday, “and lend my voice in anyway I can.”