Cheryl Cole has praised Derek Hough for saving her life.

The Girls Aloud star – who is on the mend after falling ill with malaria – has thanked her close friend for demanding medics carried out further tests when her condition was still undiagnosed.

She reportedly told a friend: “Derek saved my life. If he hadn’t spoken out to the doctors and told them he thought something was seriously wrong I would probably have died.

“I thought I had a bad case of flu and everyone else agreed. I was even told to stay at home and get some rest. The doctors were so certain it was not serious, and I believed them.”

The 27-year-old beauty was bitten by a mosquito whilst on a trip in Tanzania with the ‘Dancing With The Stars’ hunk back in June, causing her to fall ill.

After collapsing during a photoshoot, Cheryl was taken to hospital and reportedly sent home after being told she had flu and was suffering from exhaustion.

Hours later Derek insisted she went back to the Cromwell Hospital in West London, where he demanded doctors took out a series of blood tests to discover what was wrong with her – and they learned she had the potentially life-threatening tropical disease.

Derek is now determined to help Cheryl recover and has promised her mother Joan Callaghan he will make sure she eats properly and gets plenty of rest.

A source said: “Derek blames himself for Cheryl getting the malaria and was terrified she was going to die. She’s become so important to him, he could not imagine his life without her. He was worried sick and was going without food and sleep he was so concerned. Derek is just thankful she is OK now – and he has vowed to stay close to her so he can do everything he can to make sure she stays healthy.

“Derek has been put under strict instructions to make sure Cheryl eats properly and doesn’t overdo it. He has to check in with Joan every day to reassure her. But Joan trusts him and has been really impressed at how he has been there for Cheryl. Derek has been at her side constantly.”

Source: BANG Showbiz

Cheryl Cole wants to raise money to stop the spread of malaria in Africa.

The pop star was hospitalised after contracting the potentially fatal tropical disease during a trip to Tanzania and while she has been recovering she has decided she wants to help sufferers in the continent.

A friend of the star said: “Cheryl wants to raise money for mosquito nets and better medicines across the worst-affected regions of Africa. After hitting such a terrible physical low, she has come to realise just how awful the disease is and how lucky she has been to receive the best medical care.”

The 27-year-old singer – who had to pull out of the audition stages of pop star search show ‘The X Factor’ and cancelled her scheduled appearances at the V Festival in August so she can fully recover – was discharged from hospital earlier this month and is now convalescing at her home in Surrey, South East England.

Meanwhile, Cheryl’s estranged husband Ashley Cole is selling the north London apartment he shared with the Girls Aloud star before they married.

The soccer player – who is currently in the process of getting divorced from Cheryl – is evicting his tenants from the property so he can put it on the market.

A source told The Mail on Sunday newspaper: “Ashley informed his tenants that they were being evicted three weeks ago, even though their tenancy is not over. He is hoping to sell up by the end of next month. He wants no more ties to Cheryl or the homes they once shared.”

Ashley, 29 and Cheryl moved into the apartment in 2004 before they got engaged. After they married they relocated to a £6 million Surrey mansion in 2008.

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Cheryl Cole is having specially-made food brought to hospital.

The ‘Fight for This Love’ singer – who is battling potentially fatal tropical disease malaria – has asked her mother Joan Callaghan to prepare her favourite childhood meals because the meals served in her private London hospital were too “fancy”.

A source told Britain’s The Sun newspaper: “It’s definitely helping to cheer her up.
“There were things like quails eggs on the menu. But fancy foods aren’t Cheryl’s way.
“She’s from a real working-class background and the home-made meals are a nice reminder from her childhood days.”

The 27-year-old beauty has also been allowed to bend rules by keeping her leftover food – which has included pease pudding, Craster kippers from Northumberland smokehouses with scrambled eggs and Joan’s homemade ham and lentil soup – the staff fridge for when she gets hungry.

It was revealed yesterday (14.07.10) that Cheryl has banned all visitors except Joan and dancer Derek Hough- who she is rumoured to be dating – from visiting her in hospital.

A source said: “Cheryl doesn’t want people to see her as she is.”

Cheryl is thought to have contracted malaria while holidaying with US dancer Derek, 25, in Tanzania, last month.

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Derek Hough is praying for Cheryl Cole.

The ‘Dancing with the Stars’ professional – who is rumoured to be dating British beauty Cheryl - says he has spent much of his free time with the ‘Fight for this Love‘ singer since she has been hospitalised with a strain of potentially-fatal disease malaria.

He is quoted as saying by website Mail Online: “I blame myself for all of this. I convinced Cheryl to come on holiday with me to Tanzania. We might have gone somewhere else if it had been up to her.

“I’ve been worried sick about her in hospital. When I’m not by her side I’m praying for her.”

The pair took a short break in the African country last month before her work on UK TV talent show ‘The X Factor’ went into full gear.

Yesterday (11.07.10), her spokesperson confirmed the 27-year-old Girls Aloud star was getting better, but would not be undertaking any public activities for the foreseeable future.

Writing on twitter, Supersonic PR said: “Cheryl Cole is making good progress but following medical advice she will not be able to take part in ‘X Factor’s’ boot camp stage or perform at V.”

Cheryl has been removed from the intensive care unit at London’s University College Hospital to be treated in a private clinic, but is still said to be suffering with jaundice and is unable to talk.

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Cheryl Cole is still unable to talk following her battle with malaria.

The ‘Fight for this Love‘ singer has turned yellow from jaundice, is still on oxygen, and was hours from death following her infection with
the disease – believed to have been caused by a mosquito bite while she was holidaying in Tanzania with her rumoured boyfriend Derek
Hough.

A source told the News of the World: “We nearly lost her and the battle is far from over. She is so weak and this horrible illness has taken complete hold of her.

“It got so bad she was literally only hours from death’s door. Thank goodness she was diagnosed in time. “Even now she can’t talk. She drifts in and out of consciousness and when she comes round all she can do is sob.

“There was no news coming out of the hospital because it was all so touch and go. We couldn’t give any assurances to fans because there
weren’t any to give.”

The insider added she was still in a “very serious” state despite leaving the London’s University College Hospital late last week to be
treated in a private clinic.

The source said: “Seeing Cheryl like this is so painful. She could easily have dead. And she’s not better, she’s not even close. It’s
still a very serious situation and she’s really going to have to battle.”

It is also not thought she will be able to return to UK TV talent show ‘The X Factor’ for a while, putting the live shows – which begin in
late September – in jeopardy.

The source added: “Cheryl’s not going to be back for a long time. She won’t be seen in public for at least two months. This is a big wake-up call. She can’t go on as before or she’ll push herself to the brink again.”

Source: BANG Showbiz

Cheryl Cole is out of intensive care.

The ‘Fight for This Love’ singer has been discharged from the Hospital for Tropical Diseases at University College London, where she has been receiving treatment for malaria, and is now being cared for at a private clinic.

A statement said: “Cheryl Cole came out of intensive care and has left UCLH. She has now been transferred to a private clinic where she will remain for her recovery.”

Rumoured boyfriend Derek Hough is said to be distraught Cheryl caught malaria while on vacation with him in Tanzania, and is blaming himself for taking her to the African country on a short romantic break.

Malaria – which attacks the body’s liver and blood flow – is spread by mosquitoes.

Derek’s stepfather Aaron Nelson said: “Derek feels guilty. He is very distressed about all of this.

‘He feels he has done this to her. He rang his mom in tears. He organised the holiday as something wonderful. For it to end up like this is terrible. He feels dreadful.”

Cheryl has been told by ‘X Factor’ judge Simon Cowell to take off as much time as she needs and to not return to the audition stage of the competition until she is better.

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Nadine Coyle has urged people to say a prayer for Cheryl Cole to help her overcome her malaria battle.

The 25-year-old singer is very worried about the condition of her Girls Aloud bandmate – who was struck down with the tropical disease after apparently being bitten by a mosquito while holidaying in Tanzania – and is hoping she makes a speedy recovery.

Nadine tweeted: “Oh noo. You guys just told me about Cheryl I have been so paranoid about malaria my grandad had it. Let’s say a wee prayer all is ok. Xx (sic)”

Cheryl has now reportedly been admitted to the Hospital for Tropical Diseases at University College London so medical experts can deal with the illness before it gets too serious.

A source close to the star said: “Cheryl is in a real battle but she is nothing but a fighter.”

Nadine isn’t the only person to take to twitter to send messages of support to Cheryl.

Sinitta – who works with Cheryl on Simon Cowell’s pop star search show ‘The X Factor’ – took her page to ask everyone to pray for the ‘Fight for This Love’ singer.

Referring to Cheryl’s maiden name Tweedy, she wrote: “I’m so sad about Tweedy-pie!… All of you prayer warriors out there please let’s pray en mass for her total healing and complete recovery. (sic)”

Boy band JLS – who finished as runners-up on the 2008 series of ‘The X Factor’ – also tweeted: “Wanna send out our best wishes to Cheryl. Gutted to hear that you are ill. We are all thinking of you & hope you have the quickest recovery!x (sic)”

It seems mosquitoes – the blood-sucking insects which carry the potentially fatal disease, which affects blood flow in the body – are targeting the members of Girls Aloud.

Nadine was bitten by the “ruthless” pests while she was on holiday in Costa Rica.

She wrote on twitter on July 2: “We had an amazing holiday in the jungle of costa rica. The sea is warm the people are lovely. Wishing you a great day… I wish someone had warned us about the Mosquitos out there. They are ruthless. 1 st time to be bitten now I can sympathise. (sic)”

Source: BANG Showbiz

Cheryl Cole has contracted malaria.

The ‘Fight for This Love’ hitmaker – who collapsed at a photo shoot in north London on Saturday (03.07.10) – is believed to have picked up the potentially deadly disease after getting bitten by a mosquito while holidaying in Tanzania with dancer Derek Hough last month.

An insider revealed to the Daily Mirror newspaper: “She had been taking malaria tablets regularly while on holiday and continued to take them even after she returned back, but she still tested positive for it.”

Derek rushed to the brunette beauty’s bedside as soon as he heard the news, and is now said to be blaming himself.

The insider added: “He’s mortified by what happened and is utterly devastated at what she’s going through – not least because it happened on a trip he’d planned.

“It’s such a shame as she had such a lovely holiday with Derek and has such lovely memories of it. He is worried sick about her. He’s sticking close by her bedside and trying to keep her cheerful.”

Initially, it was believed the 27-year-old singer was suffering from severe exhaustion and gastroenteritis and had been working too hard on the new series of pop star search show ‘The X Factor’ and on her second solo album.

A statement from Cheryl’s representative has confirmed she is cancelling all work commitments until she has made a full recovery.

The statement read: “Following doctor’s advice Cheryl Cole will be cancelling all work commitments for the next week.”