Cher - Cher's Medical Referral Saved Best Friend's Life

Choreographer Doriana Sanchez slipped and fell onstage while working with Cher during her recent Las Vegas residency, but it wasn't until she passed out at the singer's house that she realised something was terribly wrong.

She agreed to take a private plane to Los Angeles and meet Cher's personal medic, neurosurgeon Dr. Neil Martin at the UCLA hospital - and it was only then that the dancer learned her health woes were much worse than she had anticipated.

She tells America's Star magazine, "As the months went by, it got worse. I started losing the use of my whole left side. Cher told me she wanted me to see her spine specialist."

Dr. Martin diagnosed Sanchez with a brain tumour and she underwent surgery to remove the mass.

The choreographer insists she owes her life to her friend.

She says, "Before surgery, we did our secret prayer that we do before Cher's shows... Cher was by my side the whole time. I wouldn't be here without her."

The pop superstar's Cher at the Colosseum gigs drew to a close in February (11) after three years.