Olivia Newton-John Opens up about How Cancer Changed Her Perception of Death
Olivia Newton-John’s battle with cancer allowed her to “live in the moment and appreciate every day as a gift” given that her life can be taken away at any time, changing her perception of death.
In an interview with The Herald Sun, Olivia Newton-John revealed that being diagnosed with cancer has changed her perception of life and death, allowing her to realize many things and simply seize the day.
The 70-year-old actress admitted that death is something inevitable; it is our fate despite not wanting to think about it, and having a life-threatening disease made her open her eyes to the reality of dying.
“When you have a cancer diagnosis it just makes it more obvious that it could happen and it makes you much more aware of the present and that every day is a gift and that’s how I live,” she said.
Newton-John’s last performance was in September and has not returned to the scene since. Sadly, she confirmed that she has no plans of hitting the stage again as she chose to dedicate her time to healing, meditating, and helping raise money for her Cancer and Wellness Center.
Early this year, the 70-year-old was rumored to have been on the verge of dying, but she was able to shut down the exaggerations, sharing that she has been doing great with all the love and support she received.
Just like Newton-John, “Jeopardy” host, Alex Trebek, was also diagnosed with cancer at the age of 78.
In 2017, she was diagnosed with breast cancer after her first diagnosis over 20 years ago. Her second diagnosis came in 2013, which cleared soon after.
However, what she thought to be back pain due to sciatica in 2017, turned out to be the return of cancer which metastasized as a tumor at the base of her spine.
Just like Newton-John, “Jeopardy” host, Alex Trebek, was also diagnosed with cancer at the age of 78. The four-time Grammy Award winner quickly sent a heartfelt message upon learning the sad news.
In an interview with “Entertainment Today,” she revealed that she told Trebek not to focus on the statistics about his stage 4 pancreatic cancer, and should focus on how he can better his health and keep up that lifestyle.
She also gave him a pep talk, providing confidence to the host and showing support during a trying time which she too has been battling.