Former Angel Battles Cancer

Los Angeles - Farrah Fawcett has undergone surgery to treat cancer. The 59-year-old star of the original 'Charlie's Angels' TV series appeared to be glowing with health at the Emmy awards five weeks ago but has since had an operation to remove a tumor from her lower intestine. The tumor has been described as "the size of two strawberries" and she now faces a gruelling course of chemotherapy treatment to overcome the potentially fatal disease.

A friend said: "Farrah faces hell but she's determined to be tough. She's told everyone around her, 'Look I've stopped crying, now you stop too.'"

Yesterday (10.04.06) Fawcett put on a brave face as she walked to her gym, in Los Angeles, but she looked exhausted and unwell.

While the actress dazzled at the Emmys with her 'Charlie's Angels' co-stars she was bravely hiding her illness.

A family friend said: "Though she looked magnificent at the ceremony, Farrah had been feeling faint, suffering abdominal pain and having cold sweats for two months."

Fawcett has now moved back in with her ex Ryan O'Neal, who has had Leukemia himself. O'Neal cancelled a film shoot to look after Fawcett and accompanied her to the UCLA Medical Center where she had radiation treatment to shrink the tumor.