Kanye West thanks fans

Nov 13, 2007, 11:30 GMT

Donda West (R), mother of US Hip-hop recording star Kanye West (L) at a charity benefit for the Kanye West Foundation in Chicago, Illinois, USA. According to Donda West\'s publicist Patricia Green, Donda West, 58, died 10 November 2007 in a Los Angeles, California, USA hospital from complications from a cosmetic surgical procedure, 12 November 2007. Donda West was a respected educator at Chicago State University and chair of the Department of English and Speech before leaving in 2004 to manage her son\'s career. EPA/KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI

Kanye West has thanked his fans for their support following his mother's death.

The West family released a statement yesterday (12.11.07): "Kanye West, his family and friends would like to thank everyone for the outpouring of support and kind words that have come in from across the country since the death of his mother, Dr. Donda West.

"After working in higher education for 31 years, Dr. Donda West and Kanye West co-founded the Kanye West Foundation with the mission of helping to combat the severe dropout problem in high schools across the country. The first and signature initiative of the Kanye West Foundation is Loop Dreams.

"In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Dr. West's name to the Kanye West Foundation/Loop Dreams Teacher Training Institute. Those donations can be made by visiting the Foundation's Web site, www.KanyeWestFoundation.org or by mail at Kanye West Foundation, 8560 W. Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069. The details of the funeral services are still pending."

The singer's 58-year-old mother, who was also his manager, died on Saturday (10.11.07) at the Centinela Freeman Regional Medical Centre in Los Angeles as a result of complications following surgery.

A spokesperson for the hospital said: "Donda West was brought into the emergency room at Centinela. She was unresponsive and in cardiac arrest. They tried to revive her and were unsuccessful."

While the surgery was originally thought to be cosmetic, Donda's spokesperson, Patricia Green, is unsure of the exact cause of death, but requested the family are "given privacy during this time of grief."

Meanwhile, renowned Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr. Andre Aboolian revealed he refused to give Donda a tummy tuck and breast reduction just weeks before her death.

He told US TV show 'Access Hollywood': "She was interested in some cosmetic procedures and we had discussed, that in order for her to go through with the procedures, which she was a good candidate for, she needed what's called a medical clearance, which just about anybody over the age of 40 is required to have."

The doctor said that while Donda seemed to be healthy, she had a condition that may have caused problems with the surgery - but due to patient confidentiality, he couldn't reveal what the condition was.

He added: "I spoke to her about two weeks ago and she was supposed to see the internist for the medical clearance, the internist that I had recommended, that I work with. But she never followed through as far as I know.

"Unfortunately, situations like this can happen and do happen and they're only brought out to the news media only when it's a public figure. Stuff like this does happen here and there and surgery is not to be taken lightly. You have to take the right precautions and you have to prepare for it."

An autopsy to determine the exact cause of death is currently scheduled for Wednesday (14.11.07).

(C) BANG Media International