'Grease' Star Olivia Newton-John Passes Away At Age 73 Of Breast Cancer: She Was First Diagnosed In 1992

Singer-songwriter and actress Olivia Newton-John passed away on August 8, 2022, in California surrounded by family and friends, PEOPLE reported.  

“Dame Olivia Newton-John (73) passed away peacefully at her Ranch in Southern California this morning, surrounded by family and friends. We ask that everyone please respect the family’s privacy during this very difficult time,” husband John Easterling wrote on her official Instagram page. Adding to that, he wrote, “Olivia has been a symbol of triumphs and hope for over 30 years sharing her journey with breast cancer. Her healing inspiration and pioneering experience with plant medicine continues with the Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund, dedicated to researching plant medicine and cancer. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that any donations be made in her memory to the @onjfoundation”

In May of 2017, it was diagnosed that her breast cancer metastasized to her sacrum. Newton-John underwent photon radiation therapy, in addition to natural wellness therapies after consulting with her medical team at the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre in Melbourne, Australia. The research center came into existence after the first time Newton-John was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992. 

However, even after this remission, the duo Easterling and Newton-John kept their optimism. “We both have the same unshakable belief that she's going to have a wonderful success story,” Easterling, 70, said at the time. “We're not trying to be positive. We have an absolute knowingness that we can turn this around.” In 2020, she determinedly said, “I'm winning over it well and that's how I see it. I don't think about it a lot, to be honest. Denial is a really good thing and I'm getting stronger and better all the time! I'm doing well.” Even last year when she was preparing for her daughter’s wedding, she mentioned, “I'm so lucky to still be doing all these things. I don't think I imagined living this long! I feel very blessed.” 

The multiple Grammy Award winner was originally born in Cambridge before moving to Australia at age 5. Since then, she has traveled to London on contests, touring as one-half of Pat & Olivia – her act with Pat Farrar and kicked off her solo singing career. Two albums – If Not For You and Olivia – followed in quick succession, before 1973's Let Me Be There certified her star status in the U.K. and the U.S. This song gave Newton her first Grammy, after which she won two more for record of the year and best post vocal performance, female – both for her timeless hit I Honestly Love You. She had been nominated a total of 12 times throughout her life.

However, her magnum opus was and continues to be her collaboration with John Travolta for the 1978 hit Grease, in which she played an innocent high school student, Sandy. The role earned Newton-John a Golden Globe nomination. She collaborated another time with Travolta in 1983's Two of a Kind. Before that she led a movie-musical titled Xanadu, however, after some television and movie roles, she went back to her music roots and continued doing so.

In addition to the cancer center, her legacy also includes being a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador in 1991. She once served as the national spokesperson for the Children's Health Environmental Coalition and also worked closely with the Amazon Center for Environmental Education and Research. Three years before her death, Newton-John was honored with the Companion of the Order of Australia, having become an officer previously in 2006.

“Olivia is survived by her husband Easterling; daughter Chloe Lattanzi; sister Sarah Newton-John; brother Toby Newton-John; nieces and nephews Tottie, Fiona and Brett Goldsmith; Emerson, Charlie, Zac, Jeremy, Randall, and Pierz Newton-John; Jude Newton-Stock, Layla Lee; Kira and Tasha Edelstein; and Brin and Valerie Hall,” Esterling concluded in the post.