Heddy Lester passed away at the age of 72

Heddy Lester died in her home in Amsterdam on Sunday evening.

The singer and actress, who took part in the Eurovision Song Contest on behalf of the Netherlands in 1977 with the song De Mallemolen, was 72 years old. Heddy died of bladder cancer. Her brother, singer Frank Affolter, announced the news of her death on Tuesday on the Private page in De Telegraaf.

“She fought hard against the disease,” he says. “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 happened very quickly.”

With De Mallemolen, written by Frank Affolter and lyricist Wim Hogenkamp, Heddy took twelfth place at the Eurovision Song Contest in London.