Olivia and her breast cancer - Weekend

Translation from Dutch.

THE stress made me so sick Olivia Newton-John's life hasn't been easy over the past three years. She struggled with major marital and financial problems, when breast cancer was discovered on top of that. But with immense willpower, the singer has battled her way through all the difficulties. And now she is enjoying life more than ever.

Olivia Newton-John shudders when she thinks back to the moment she discovered that something was seriously wrong with her health.

I felt so terribly tired. Normally I am bursting with energy, but then I seemed completely burned out. I couldn't say exactly what was wrong with me. Although I suffered from lumpy breasts quite often and was even checked for them every three months, I couldn't feel anything at the time. Still, the doctor didn't trust it. He said: 'When you say there is something wrong with your body, then that is the case. Only you can feel it.'

Olivia Newton-John then had to undergo all kinds of tests. The mammogram (breast X-rays) showed no abnormalities. Neither did the biopsy (puncture). Nevertheless, in July 1992, the 46-year-old singer received the shocking news from her treating physician that she was suffering from breast cancer.

Olivia: Of course I was shocked. But after a night of worrying and tossing and turning, I decided to fight the disease with all my might.

Loaded word

Cancer is such a loaded word. People immediately think of death. Well, not me. So many people have recovered from it, so why not me? I have always lived a very healthy life. I didn't smoke, hardly drank, and I exercised daily to stay in shape.

There was no other way: stress was the cause of my illness. Financially, I was doing very badly. My chain of children's clothing stores – Koala Blue – was not doing well at all. I almost went bankrupt because of it. In addition, I had serious marital problems, and my best friend lost her little daughter to cancer. Despite all my own problems I tried to be there for everyone — that’s just how women are. But it did lead to me becoming completely overstressed myself.

It is well known that stress weakens your immune system, and that is why the cancer was able to strike me.

Olivia Newton-John underwent surgery and chemotherapy. She dreaded the course of treatment the most. But her fear soon turned into joy when the therapy proved to be effective. She now seems to have overcome her serious illness.

Doctors very satisfied

I am checked regularly, and the doctors are very satisfied every time. Every year without a relapse is a step in the right direction.

Despite the grueling chemotherapy, the much-troubled singer maintained her good humor and optimism.

I had to, because Chloe, my little daughter, wasn't allowed to notice anything. She had just lost a friend to leukemia and was very sad about that. And I was afraid she would think I was going to die too if I told her about my breast cancer. I only confessed it to her when it was all over.

Olivia Newton-John has since made a clean sweep. She has closed down her children's clothing stores. And she recently went into the studio to record a new CD (all songs she wrote while undergoing chemotherapy) and she ended her marriage to 35-year-old actor Matt Lattanzi.

Olivia: Actually, our marriage hadn't meant anything for years. Matt had been living in another house on my ranch for a long time. Actually, little changes. We remain good friends and neighbors. Only the divorce is now official.

Together with Chloe, her 9-year-old daughter, Olivia wants to consciously enjoy every moment of the day.

I have learned a lot. We humans often worry far too much about the future. Because of that, we miss a lot of what is happening now. Of course, I love my child, my success, and my house. Yet it is precisely the little things that make a person happy. For example, just stop by a beautiful tree and take a good look at it. Only then do you realize how beautiful nature is. And then you realize how valuable life is.

As a sign of gratitude for her recovery, she now helps other women suffering from breast cancer. She provides them with information about the treatments.

I see it as my duty to help them. Precisely someone like me, who has gone through the same thing, can best support and comfort them.