Anastacia - Anastacia Proud To Show Off 'Survival' Scar

Pop star ANASTACIA was too embarrassed to show off her scar from surgery for Crohn's disease until she turned 30, when she realised the mark was a sign of her survival.

The I'm Outta Love singer was diagnosed with the illness - a severe inflammatory bowel disease - when she was just 13 years old, and had to undergo an emergency operation to remove an obstruction in her digestive system.

The surgery left her with a visible scar on her stomach, and Anastacia admits she was ashamed of anyone spotting the mark - but now she sees it as a badge of honour.

She tells Britain's Hello magazine, "I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease, an inflammatory condition of the bowel... I found a lump in my abdomen and that's when doctors discovered I had Crohn's. I have a four-inch scar on my tummy where surgeons removed this mass from inside. I used to be ashamed of this scar but by the time I was 30 I didn't mind flashing my belly. To me the scar is like a war wound - it proves I survived."