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Olivia Newton-John Shares Why She Started Her Own Foundation to Help Fight Cancer
When Olivia Newton-John first faced her breast cancer diagnosis in 1992, the world saw a radiant superstar — the voice behind “Hopelessly Devoted to You” and “Physical,” the golden girl from Grease whose smile seemed untouchable. But behind the light, Olivia was quietly stepping into the hardest fight of her life. “At first, I was terrified,” she later admitted. “But then I realized — fear gives cancer power. Hope takes it away.”
It was that mindset that would eventually lead her, years later, to create the Olivia Newton-John Foundation, a mission born not from fame but from faith, love, and survival. “I didn’t want my journey to be just about me,” Olivia said. “If I could help even one person feel less alone, or find new ways to heal, then something beautiful could come from something painful.”
Her experience with cancer forever changed how she viewed life — and medicine. While undergoing surgery and chemotherapy, Olivia began exploring alternative therapies such as meditation, acupuncture, plant-based nutrition, and herbal treatments. She discovered that true healing wasn’t just about curing the body — it was about nurturing the spirit. “I realized healing is a complete picture — mind, body, and soul,” she explained. “You can’t separate them.”
In 2012, that vision took form with the opening of the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre in Melbourne, Australia. The centre became a haven for patients — a place where science met compassion, where clinical treatment was supported by art therapy, meditation rooms, and holistic care. “I wanted it to feel like home,” Olivia said. “Hospitals can feel cold and frightening, but healing happens best when you feel loved.”
Years later, in 2020, she expanded her mission globally by launching the Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund, dedicated to funding research into plant-based and alternative cancer therapies. “I believe nature holds incredible healing potential,” she said passionately. “We’ve only scratched the surface of what plants can do. My dream is to find gentler, kinder ways to treat cancer — ways that help the whole person, not just the disease.”
Her husband, John Easterling, a botanist and advocate of herbal medicine, became her closest partner in this mission. “John has taught me so much about the earth’s wisdom,” she shared. “We both believe that healing comes from harmony — between nature and the human spirit.”
For Olivia, her foundation wasn’t about legacy — it was about love. “Cancer taught me that every day is precious,” she said. “It also taught me that kindness is the best medicine. The foundation is my way of giving back, of saying thank you for the time I’ve been given.”
Even in her later years, as her health declined, she remained deeply involved in the foundation’s work — reading reports, connecting with researchers, and sending words of encouragement to patients. “I’ve had cancer three times,” she said softly, “but it never took away my hope. If anything, it made me stronger.”
The Olivia Newton-John Foundation stands today as a reflection of her heart — one that believed in compassion over fear, and in light over darkness. “I want people to know,” Olivia once said, “that healing is possible — even when a cure isn’t. Because love itself can heal.”
