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20s

Delta has given me back my voice, says cancer battler Olivia

Olivia Newton-John and Delta Goodrem attend the 2019 Industry Dance Awards in Los Angeles (Image: Rachel Luna/FilmMagic)

Singer and former Neighbours star Delta Goodrem persuaded Olivia, who is battling stage four metastatic breast cancer, to sing Merry Christmas To You on her Only Santa Knows album. Delta, 36, who also fought cancer when she was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma aged just 18, first sang with Olivia in 2008 to raise funds for the Grease star’s cancer charity.

Dame Olivia, 72, said of their latest duet: “I haven’t sung for two years in public and I didn’t think I would ever sing again.

“It was not something in my mind and I just haven’t been singing. Friend Delta Goodrem just offered me a Christmas song to sing and it was very pretty. So suddenly I’m wanting to sing again.”

She also told Sirius XM radio DJ Larry Flick she was feeling upbeat about her health. “I feel excellent. It is a long journey, I am grateful I am here and I want to help other people live well with cancer also. I live well with it and that is a blessing.”

Dame Olivia, who last week launched a foundation to help other cancer sufferers, has been shielding during the pandemic.

This is the third time she has been diagnosed with cancer since 1992.

She said: “This is the longest time I’ve ever been in one place without getting on a plane and I’m loving that. And spending time with my family. So I’m in a really, very happy place.”