NEW YORK (FOX 5 NY) - 'American Idol' season 15 finalist Jax, of East Brunswick, New Jersey, has thyroid cancer and she's using her sense of humor to help beat the disease.
"It happened so fast. It literally happened over the last two months," said Jax during an interview with FOX 5 NY morning program, 'Good Day New York.'
The 19-year-old was in New York grocery shopping with her parents when she felt a lump in her throat.
"I went to an urgent clinic. They prescribed an ultrasound and found 18 tumors," said Jax.
A week after a show at Webster Hall, doctors told Jax her results had come back positive for cancer.
"Everyone was breaking down around me," said Jax.
The singer's thyroid was completely removed and she underwent radiation treatment.
"Everything feels kind of different. The muscles are in a weird recovery phase," said Jax.
The vocal chords, which lie right on top of the thyroid, have not been damaged as a result of the disease or subsequent surgery.
While things are looking up for the bubbly singer, the same can't be said for another sick family member.
In a strange twist of fate, Jax's grandfather was also diagnosed with thyroid cancer and has not regained his voice.
Jax credits her surgeon for saving her voice and career.