After a long battle with breast cancer, Olivia Newton-John died on Monday at the age of 73. The actress and singer of fat He had been fighting this disease since 1992 and put all his energy and notoriety at the service of prevention and the importance of screening. A look back at thirty years of commitment.
Research Center “Olivia Newton-John”
With lacquered hair and leather jackets, Olivia Newton-John became world famous playing Sandy in the cult musical fat in 1978 with John Travolta. But after this success, the Australian actress announced, in 1992, that she had breast cancer that she overcame thanks to a partial mastectomy, chemotherapy and breast reconstruction.
That’s when their fight begins. Forced to put aside her professional activities, Olivia Newton-John actively campaigned for research into this disease and has grown more confident over the years about the treatments she receives and how she manages pain.
Several initiatives were born from this struggle: charity albums (stronger than before, This Christmas with John Travolta) but above all a cancer research center “Olivia Newton-John” in Melbourne, where the actress will be treated on numerous occasions.
“Ms. Newtown-John’s commitment over the years has led to scientific discoveries and the development of innovative therapies and advances in the psychological care of patients,” he said in an interview with guardianAdam Horsburgh, general manager of Austin Health, where the center is located.
And to add: “Without your dynamism, the center would not be here. Your continued support […] has allowed us to provide care and support to thousands of patients over the last ten years.”
“I decided to keep it to myself”
In 2013, twenty-one years after her remission, doctors discovered that the actress had developed shoulder cancer. This time, the young woman made the decision to keep her illness private and she did not speak about it publicly or with her family. The same year, her sister, Rona, died at the age of 69, just six weeks after being diagnosed with brain cancer.
“The first time I talked about it, and the second time I thought I really didn’t need to share this… It’s my life. I decided to keep it to myself,” she said on Australia’s Sunday Night show in 2018.
But in 2017, after this first recurrence, Olivia Newton-John was diagnosed with breast cancer again, this time in stage 4. The singer, who was in the middle of a concert tour, was forced to cancel all her shows in the United States. United States and Canada.
Two years later, on December 28, 2019, the actress was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) for her associative commitment against cancer.
alternative treatments
In her fight, Olivia Newton-John is especially interested in alternative treatments for the disease such as cannabis oil, which she speaks about openly, after being introduced to it by her husband, John Easterling.
“I am lucky to be married to a wonderful man who knows medicinal plants very well. He grows medical cannabis for me,” the actress said in February 2021 in the magazine. People.
His daughter, Chloe Rose, also operates a cannabis farm in Oregon. For several years, Olivia Newton-John lobbied the Australian government to legalize the use of medical cannabis.
“It’s something that should be available to anyone who has a chronic disease or pain,” he explained in an interview.
In a message posted on social media to announce the death of Olivia Newton-John on Monday, her husband, John Easterling, saluted her tireless commitment of 30 years. He also specifies that a few years ago a fund was created in the name of the actress in order to finance research on medicinal plants and cancer.
Source: BFM TV
