American Idol season-seven contestant and plus-size
model Joanne Borgella has died from a rare form of
cancer.
The Long Island, New York native was 32 and had
been battling endometrial cancer, which she revealed
in a video posted to her Facebook page a year ago had
"spread to her chest."

Borgella, who was living in Hoboken, NJ at the time of
her 2008 audition, made it all the way to the top 24,
but was eliminated after a performance of "I Say A
Little Prayer."
Prior to her stint on the Fox singing show, she was the
winner of Mo’Nique’s Fat Chance pageant as “Miss
F.A.T.” in 2005. A Wilhelmina model, she was also
featured as a cast member on the second season of
Curvy Girls on NUVO TV.
American Idol musical director Michael Orland
offered his condolences on Twitter, writing, "So sorry
to read about the passing of @JoanneBorgella. She
was one of those special people that came through
the @AmericanIdol doors. RIP."
It has been a sad year for the season-seven cast. Top
10 finalist Michael Johns passed away this August.