On Saturday, January 25, Grease star Olivia Newton-John told reporters at G’Day USA in Beverly Hills, California – an event where money was raised for wildfire relief in Australia – that she wants to help people who have been diagnosed with breast cancer.
“Life is a gift and I’ve had an amazing life and I intend to keep going with it and I want to help other people with cancer of course,” the 71-year-old actress shared. “I have my wellness center in Melbourne and I want to see it in my lifetime so other people don’t have to suffer.”
Newton-John was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992 and beat cancer again in 2013. Unfortunately, in May 2017, she revealed that her cancer had metastasized and spread to her bones.
Be as it may, the actress doesn’t see it “as a battle.”
“I’m winning over it well and that’s how I see it,” the actress said. “I don’t think about it a lot, to be honest. Denial is a really good thing and I’m getting stronger and better all the time! I’m doing well!”
John Travolta, Newton-John’s Grease costar, also attended the event and spoke to reporters about his friend’s positive outlook on life amid her health challenges.
“Olivia is a survivor and she’s smart and she’s got a lot of life in her and I think she looks at it from the glass half full always and that’s her beautiful, natural approach towards life and I think we all need to do that,” the actor said.
In September 2019, Newton-John sat down with Gayle King on CBS This Morning, saying she doesn’t like to dwell on the statistics of her disease.
“In my opinion, if they give you a percentage, or you know, ‘This many women get this and they live this long,’ you can create that and make it happen,” she elaborated.
She continued, “It’s almost like — I think I know what the statistics are. And if, and, but I put them away. But I’m gonna live longer than that. I’ve made that decision. And I don’t buy into the statistics ’cause I think they can make you really nervous.”
Despite her diagnosis, she will always look forward to the joys of life and allow herself to live life to the fullest.
“Denial is really healthy,” she joked about coping with her diagnosis. “It was consuming by day, and after some time I went, ‘You know what? I don’t know what my time is, but I need to enjoy my life, so I’m gonna eat a cookie if I want it and I’m gonna have a cup of tea if I want it, and I want to have a little bit of wine then I’m gonna do that.’ “
Newton-John added, “The joy of life and every-day living has to be a part of that healing process as well.”