My Life After Cancer
Translation from German
Did you know Olivia Newton-John’s favorite dish? It’s bratwurst with red cabbage and fried potatoes. A dish her German mother, who comes from Göttingen, loves to cook, and which the singer immediately ordered in Bremen.
A global star visiting Germany. The two and a half days were just enough time to buy an ice skating costume for her ten-year-old daughter Chloe’s birthday (she’s having an ice skating party), to see Thomas Gottschalk (he’s her neighbor in Malibu) at “Wetten, dass..?” (the German equivalent of “You Bet!”), and to meet the cast of “Grease,” which was having its premiere in Düsseldorf. “Grease,” the most successful musical film of all time (starring John Travolta), was, after all, that which helped Olivia achieve her international career.
Olivia Newton-John, in her denim shirt, colorful cardigan, and black trousers, appears youthfully delicate, yet by no means fragile. It hasn’t even been three years since the medical diagnosis of breast cancer hung over her like a death sentence.
“Back then, I decided not to give up. I took up the fight. Willpower plays the biggest role. Today I feel good, really good,” she says.
Isn’t there still the fear that the cancer could return? Olivia smiles, gently shakes her blonde hair, and says with complete conviction: “That won’t happen!” You believe her without question. Her inner strength is palpable. She endured it, the hell of despair and fear, and she not only retained her zest for life but strengthened it through positive thinking.
The 47-year-old vividly recounts the inspirations she had after surgery and months of therapy: “I was recovering at our house in Australia and for weeks I would wake up at three in the morning with an idea for a song in my head. I wrote the songs down, and that’s how my album, ‘Gaia,’ came about. I expressed all my feelings this way and will soon be writing a book about my experiences.”
These are songs meant to encourage others in the same situation. “I know many women who are afraid of cancer or its treatment. But if it’s caught early and detected, there is no reason why one shouldn’t survive it. German patients in particular are fortunate: in addition to chemotherapy, they are also offered alternative treatment methods.”
“My homeopathic remedies came from Germany. Besides, overcoming great fear makes you much stronger!” emphasizes the musical star.
So there is something positive in suffering. Does she even see the terrible illness as an opportunity? “Oh, of course,” she says spontaneously. “Naturally, I didn’t wish for it. But in retrospect—I know this sounds strange—it was a gift, a challenge. I’ve grown internally. I learned a lot about life, about compassion, love, and friends. That was important for my development. I used to be anxious; today I can certainly express my anger and say a clear ‘no.’”
Olivia has spoken with many fellow sufferers and sees a certain type of woman as being at risk: “It’s often the women who worry and care too much for others, who suppress their true feelings and do too little for themselves.”
The actress, who will soon be presenting her new film “It’s My Party,” has done a lot for herself and her family. Her house in Malibu was built strictly according to ecological principles (regarding paints, plumbing, and paneling). Chemicals in food and household products are especially dangerous for children.
She no longer worries about the future. “I simply want to enjoy the moment. Last summer, for example, I was in the South of France with my daughter. It was the first vacation without any work appointments! I can be happy anywhere these days. Just sitting in a field under a tree—I can’t imagine anything more beautiful. Besides, the older you get, the less you know. So I want to learn so much more,” she says.
Like a young girl full of curiosity about life.
Photo captions: Olivia's sister Rona, also an actress, accompanied her to Germany.
Olivia Newton-John in conversation with editor Ulrike Schankat.
Motherhood bliss: Olivia with her daughter Chloe. "She really wants to be an actress, and she truly has the talent for it! She can sing and is learning to dance."