Céline Dion’s Husband René Angélil Recuperating After Second Battle with Throat Cancer

Céline Dion’s husband is recovering from surgery to remove a tumor from his throat.

René Angélil, 72, underwent the successful procedure on Dec. 23, his rep confirmed to PEOPLE.

The music manager was previously diagnosed with throat cancer in 1999, when Dion, 45, briefly retired to help him heal.

The “Loved Me Back to Life” singer, who has been steadily performing in Las Vegas since 2011, said her husband of 20 years is prioritizing his recuperation over business.

“I don’t want René to stress out with work-related issues,” Dion said in a statement. “I want him to focus on getting back to 100%. I’ve been doing my shows at the Colosseum and everything’s under control.”

The mom to 13-year-old René-Charles and 4-year-old twins Eddy and Nelson said Angélil is also focused on family.

“At home we’ve been spending a lot of quality time with the family,” she said. “We feel very fortunate that we’ve been able to get the best care possible and we thank God every day for helping us get through this ordeal.”

People Magazine