She cemented herself as one of the world’s most celebrated stars, thanks to her powerful voice and leading roles in beloved films like Grease, but these days it’s Olivia Newton-John’s brave fighting spirit that she’s most admired for.
Olivia, 71, has remained positive and optimistic about her almost three-decade-long cancer battle, but she’s no stranger to heartache. Behind the scenes, she’s bravely harboured a 28-year family secret that changed the course of her life.
In 1991 Olivia, then married to her Xanadu co-star Matt Lattanzi, suffered the loss of her beloved five-year-old goddaughter Colette Chuda from cancer. The daughter of one of Olivia’s closest friends Nancy Chuda, the little girl passed away from Wilms tumour, a rare form of kidney cancer, leaving both families devastated.
This story is from the February 24 2020 edition of Woman's Day Australia.
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This story is from the February 24 2020 edition of Woman's Day Australia.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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