Olivia puts mind and money to cancer battle
CANCER survivor Olivia Newton-John has told of the importance of the mind in healing the disease.
Newton-John, who has over come breast cancer, yesterday accepted a $10 million grant on behalf of a new Melbourne centre to treat the condition.
The singer and actor, who contributed $2 million to the new centre named in her hon our at Melbourne’s Austin Hospital, told of the need for patients to have a positive outlook when fighting cancer.
The planned $50 million Olivia Newton-John Cancer Centre would have a “wellness centre” for people to practise tai chi, yoga, get a massage or just chat with other patients, Newton-John said.
“Whatever spiritual belief you have, the mind has a very important role in healing. So if it is meditation, if it is prayer, if it is chanting whatever you believe as long as it is something you feel strongly about that can keep keep you in a positive spirit,” Newton-John said.
Some of the cancer patients at the Austin Hospital yesterday met Newton-John.
“It is quite often very cramped in here. You some-times have to wait a long time for treatment,” said Christine Marks, who is fighting pancreatic cancer.
POSITIVE... Olivia Newton-John, left, with cancer sufferer Christine Marks. Picture: Bill McAuley