Olivia Newton-John is currently in her third battle with cancer. However, this time, cancer has metastasized into her bones.
But while her stage 4 cancer diagnosis is grim news, she’s trying to keep a positive attitude as she lives with the disease.
Olivia was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992. In 2013, she once again beat cancer, secretly battling without making her struggles public. But in May 2017, Olivia found out that disease had progressed to her bones, and in late 2017 she finally revealed that she had a tumor at the base of her spine.
On August 5, 2019, Olivia sat down with 60 Minutes Australia to discuss her diagnosis.
She said: “I’m so lucky that I’ve been through this three times and I’m still here. I’m living with it. It’s just reinforced my gratitude.”
Although she’s battling a very aggressive form of cancer, Olivia is keeping positive.
“We know we’re gonna die at some point, and we don’t know when it is. When you’re given a cancer diagnosis or a scary honest diagnosis, you’re suddenly given a possibility of a time limit,” she explained. “So every day is a gift.”
During the interview, Olivia admitted that she has no desire to know how long she has left to live.
“If somebody tells you, you have six months to live, very possibly you will because you believe that,” she said. “So for me, psychologically, it’s better not to have any idea of what they expect or what the last person that has what you have lived, so I don’t, I don’t tune in.”
She believes that not knowing how long she has left has given her license to live life to the fullest. She’s doing everything she can to stay healthy and says that she fully intends “to be here for a long time.”
Here’s a video of Olivia talking about the importance of staying positive during her battle with cancer.