Dutch Eurovision singer Heddy Lester dies at age 72

Heddy Lester passed away in her home on Sunday at age 72. The singer participated for the Netherlands in the 1977 Eurovision Song Contest with the song De Mallemolen.

Lester passed away from bladder cancer, her brother Frank Affolter said on Tuesday, NU.nl reports. “She fought the disease tremendously,” he said. “At first, it seemed to be going in the right direction, until a few weeks ago, it turned out that the cancer had also affected her liver. Then it suddenly went very quickly.”

Lester made it to twelfth place in the Eurovision Song Contest with De Mallemolen, which was written for her by Affolter and Wim Hogenkamp. The song wasn’t an instant hit but did grow into a classic over the years.