Olivia Newton-John puts tour on hold after breast cancer diagnosis
Grease actress and singer Olivia-Newton John has “reluctantly” postponed her June concert dates after learning that the back pain she’s been waylaid by recently is caused by breast cancer that has metastasized to her sacrum.
“I decided on my direction of therapies after consultation with my doctors and natural therapists and the medical team at my Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre in Melbourne, Australia,” the 68-year-old singer said Tuesday in a statement on social media.
Those therapies include a short course of photon radiation therapy in addition to “natural wellness therapies,” the statement said.
British-born and Australia-raised Newton-John started her career as a singer with pop hits like “If Not for You” and “I Honestly Love You.”
She shot to international fame in the 1978 movie adaptation of musical Grease, playing goody-goody teenager Sandy opposite John Travolta’s wild boy Danny Zuko.
Newton-John was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992, at which time she underwent chemotherapy after a modified radical mastectomy with reconstruction. Her treatment also included acupuncture, which she said helped her with nausea, as well as yoga, meditation and massage.
Three weeks ago, Newton-John postponed her May shows, with her team citing “a bad issue with Olivia’s sciatica.” Now, her June shows in the US and Canada have been put off. Ticket-holders are being directed to venues for refunds, and any rescheduled dates will be posted on Newton-John’s official website.
“Olivia ... is confident she will be back later in the year, better than ever, to celebrate her shows,” the Tuesday statement said.