I'm Going To Beat This
Olivia Newton-John was revving up for a comeback. After eight years of staying home to take care of her daughter, she couldn’t wait to hit the road. Her concert tour was a sell-out; she was planning a return to films. Then, last June, Olivia found a lump in her right breast. She made an appointment with her doctor, who took a mammogram and a biopsy. The lump was malignant. On July 14, Olivia was admitted to the hospital, where doctors performed a partial mastectomy and reconstruction of her right breast.
Now, for the first time, Olivia talks about her fight to beat breast cancer. Meanwhile, doctors report her prognosis is excellent. “I am joyful, ecstatic, to be alive,” declares Olivia. “Of course, I am not happy I have cancer. That day in July was the end of many things for me, but I feel very happy to have discovered the cancer early. Since my operation, I have experienced nothing but an outpouring of support. George Bush sent me a sweet letter, and some of my show-biz pals sent flowers and notes.”
“My friends and family, of course, have always been there. My husband has always supported and loved me, so it never entered my mind that he wouldn’t find me attractive. The concern and support from total strangers has been overwhelming. I got hundreds of get-well wishes from people I had never met. Some had breast cancer and wanted to share their thoughts. Others simply wanted to reach out. Their compassion means more to me than I can ever say,” she adds. “I draw my strength from these people.”
It’s a muggy Wednesday afternoon, yet Olivia is calm and collected. Her hair frames her cherubic face, as youthful as it was when she burst onto the scene in 1971. Her frequent, warm smiles are sincere, despite the tough times she’s endured the last two years. In 1991, her chain of clothing stores, Koala Blue, filed for bankruptcy. Late last year, the five-year-old daughter of Olivia’s closest girl-friend died of cancer. This past July just two weeks before her own cancer ordeal her father succumbed to the disease. “Life is unpredictable, but it goes on,” she says. “You learn a little more about love and compassion every day.”
When she was first diagnosed, friends and associates say Olivia was shattered. Now, the only time her smile fades is when the issue of mortality is brought up. “I’m taking life one day at a time,” she says quietly. “I’m concentrating on getting well.” Since her surgery, Olivia says she has spent most days painting and writing “I’m rediscovering myself,” she says. “I enjoy spending extra time with my husband and daughter. Chloe’s only eight years old, but I’m determined to be around to see her grow up, get married and have kids of her own.”
Olivia met her husband, actor Matt Lattanzi, 11 years her junior, in 1979, when they were both working on the movie Xanadu. They wed in 1984. “I was terrified of getting married,” she admits, “because my parents divorced when I was ten. But when I met Matt, I was positive he was the right man. I finally felt that marriage was the natural thing to do, plus I was getting pangs about not having had a baby.”
Chloe Rose was born 13 months after their wedding. “When she was born, our lives became even more joyous. To watch a human being grow and learn is the most wonderful thing I can think of. The minute Chloe was handed to me in the delivery room, I thought, ‘She’s funny.’ She’s quick- witted and also very strong-willed. She knows what she wants and goes after it.”
It’s obvious where Chloe got her strong will - Olivia has always been a fighter, whether she’s trying to save the environment or her own life. She’s been undergoing chemotherapy every three weeks. “I’ll finish in January,” Olivia says. “There was no other choice the only other treatments were alternative therapies that are medically unproven.” Olivia has not suffered from hair loss, a common side effect of chemotherapy, although she does get nauseated after each treatment. “I’ve always only eaten organic foods. I don’t drink or smoke. I exercise frequently. I truly feel that if I didn’t follow such a healthy lifestyle, the chemo would have much more of an impact on me.”
She urges women to do breast self-exams and get annual check-ups. “If you detect a lump, get to a doctor immediately. Early detection is critical it saved my life. And if you’re diagnosed with breast cancer, think positively. You will survive. Great medical strides have been made. The odds are in our favor for a long life.”
Though the cancer has aborted her comeback, Olivia says she’s learned an important lesson from her ordeal. “I’ve always known how important it is to live each day fully,” she says. “And I’ve always tried to be the best person I could be. The love and support of my family and friends and fans and even total strangers reinforce my beliefs over and over. I’m going to beat this!”