Vanessa Hudgens Reveals Father Battling Stage 4 Cancer

— -- A few weeks back, actress Vanessa Hudgens asked fans to "pray for" her father and didn't specify his condition, now the 26-year-old is opening about his stage-four cancer battle.

At the 2015 Industry Dance Awards in Los Angeles earlier this week, she revealed that her father Greg's cancer diagnosis is the reason the event's cause and benefit to the Circle of Hope is so close to her heart.

"Last year, my boyfriend, Austin [Butler], lost his mom, Lori, to cancer, and my dad has just been recently diagnosed with stage-four cancer," Vanessa said while receiving the Breakthrough Performer award. "And let me tell you, I hate cancer. I hate cancer with every cell of my being.

Hudgens added that just two years ago, she would have thought what everyone else thinks, that cancer "sucks." Now, there is such a connection, one that got her choked up a bit at the awards ceremony.

"This award, it means a lot to me but I dedicate it to my boyfriend's mom ... Lori, my dad, and to all the families out there who are struggling with this," she said, fighting back tears.