Australian actress and pop music sensation Olivia Newton-John died at the age of 73 on Monday, her husband revealed, five years after the Grammy Award-winning singer publicly disclosed that she was using medical cannabis to treat cancer.
“Dame Olivia Newton-John 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,” Newton-John’s husband, John Easterling, wrote in a statement on her verified Instagram account. “Olivia has been a symbol of triumphs and hope for over 30 years sharing her journey with breast cancer.”
Newton-John was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992, undergoing a partial mastectomy and chemotherapy to treat the disease. In 2013 cancer returned and spread to her shoulder, causing some tour performance dates to be postponed while she was treated.
The singer again postponed concerts for an international tour in 2017 due to serious back pain. In a Facebook message posted in May of that year, Newton-John revealed that cancer had returned once again, this time to the base of her spine, and she announced that additional tour dates would have to be rescheduled.
Singer Revealed MMJ Use in 2018
In a September 2018 interview with the Australian television news program Sunday Night, Newton-John said that she was using cannabis, which she called a “magical, miracle plant,” as part of her treatment.
“My husband’s a plant medicine man so he grew cannabis and made tinctures for me for pain and inflammation,” Newton-John said in 2018.
She explained that the pain caused by the disease was difficult to manage and sometimes caused her problems with mobility.
“The pain was the hardest thing,” said Newton-John. “I can walk, but I can’t go long distances,” adding that she prefers natural cannabis to treat pain and …
Read More
Author: A.J. Herrington / High Times
