Olivia
Newton-John celebrates the completion of the Cancer and Wellness Centre at the
Austin Hospital. Picture: Alex Coppel Source:
Herald Sun
Lucie van den Berg, The Herald Sun, reports
Olivia Newton-John wept as she revealed how her mother's words of encouragement inspired her to help Victorians battling cancer.
On the day she celebrates the opening of her Cancer and Wellness Centre at the Austin Hospital in Heidelberg, she expressed her hope that cancer, which claimed the life of her father, Brinley, will be eliminated in her lifetime.
The singer paid tribute to Demons legend Jim Stynes, who touched her heart with his unwavering support for the $189 million centre.
His wife, Sam, will be its new ambassador.
Mrs Stynes said the new wellness centre captured her late husband's positive approach to fighting cancer.
"He knew deep down that he was going to die, but he never talked about it on a surface level because he didn't want to waste time bringing everything down," she said.
"It was really important for him to stay positive."
She accepted the role because she wanted it to be easier for other families to use therapies on top of their traditional medical treatment.
"Getting diagnosed with cancer was baffling enough without having to seek out all those services on your own," Mrs Stynes said.
Newton-John cried as she recalled how her late mother, Irene Born, told her to take on the project, even though she felt hesitant about putting her name to it.
"She said if it helps people you should do it - those words were my inspiration," Newton-John said.
The palliative care wing will be named in her honour.
Like Stynes, the singer found comfort in complementary therapies during her treatment for breast cancer, including acupuncture, massage, yoga, meditation, a macrobiotic diet and homeopathy.
It spurred her to push for a wellness centre to cater for patients' spiritual and emotional wellbeing and help ease the stress and side effects of cancer treatment.
"It's not about science, it's about how you feel," she said.
Today's opening comes on the 20th anniversary of Newton-John's breast cancer diagnosis, and she sent a heartfelt thanks to more than 40,000 private donors plus state and federal governments.
"From one of the worst times in my life to one of the best times in my life," she said.
"It's taken nine years, but that feels like a snap now."
Three levels of the centre, including day and radiation oncology, will open on July 2 with the remaining services to launch in 2013.
What's in the Olivia Newton-John cancer and wellness centre
* The $189m centre is in the Austin Hospital in Heidelberg
* It will house all the Hospital's cancer services - including oncology, radiotherapy and cancer clinics, now in 11 buildings across two sites
* It will include a palliative care ward and the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research
* It will offer meditation, relaxation, music and arts therapy
* First services open July 2, fully open in end 2013
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