Olivia Newton-John wants women to get physical --- again.
The Grammy Award-winning singer recently launched a breast self-examination kit designed to encourage women to perform monthly checks along with routine checkups and mammograms. Her Liv Aid kit features a demonstration pillow to intensify a woman's sense of touch and help her recognize what's normal for her body.
"The earlier you find something, the greater your chances of recovery," says Newton-John, who detected a lump in 1992 during a breast self-exam. She considers herself as a "thriver" after undergoing a partial mastectomy and breast reconstruction and says the message of early detection cannot be voiced often and loud enough.
"You can tell people a million times, but it has to be a mental decision," she said.
Now, at age 60 and a champion of health of wellness, Newton-John brings her cancer-detection advocacy campaign to Atlanta with a performance Tuesday at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre.
Receiving the cancer diagnosis was a terrifying experience, she says, but "I decided early on that I was going to be OK." She armed herself with medical information and incorporated alternative therapies such as acupuncture into her treatment regimen. Her fight ignited a passion for the cause which she has championed for 16 years.
Last year, she walked the Great Wall of China to raise funds and awareness to fight breast cancer. She likened the three-day, 228-kilometer journey to her cancer battle, terming it "scary but exhilarating, and you didn't know what was ahead of you."
This year, she plans to break ground on the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre, a comprehensive treatment, care and research facility for all types of cancer. Located in Australia, the center will incorporate traditional and nontraditional therapies for healing of the body, mind and spirit.
Her professional and philanthropic work carry a common thread of healing, says the movie and music star.
"I've gone through a lot of different things, and music is my way of healing myself," said Newton-John, who also promotes organic foods and herbs along with her new husband, John Easterling, owner and founder of the Amazon Herb Co. "I'm lucky because I have all of these wonderful products to keep me living forever."
IF YOU GO
"An Evening with Olivia Newton-John"
7:30 p.m. Tuesday. $42-$72. Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, 2800 Cobb Galleria Pkwy. 800-745-3000; ticketmaster.com
More information on Liv Aid: Online at www.Liv.com or www.OliviaNewton-John.com.
Copyright 2009 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution