TAMPA, Fla. — Beloved actress and singer Olivia Newton-John was admired across the world but held a particularly special place in the hearts of those at Tampa’s Moffitt Cancer Center.
Upon learning the news of the "Grease" star's passing on Monday, the center posted a heartfelt message sharing the work she did to promote cancer research and prevention right here in the Bay area.
“Olivia was an incredible friend of the cancer center, a friend to me, an international figure in the fight against cancer, and a treasure and inspiration to her many fans all over the world,” H. Lee Moffitt, founder of Moffitt Cancer Center, wrote in the post.
Newton-John had served on Moffitt’s national Board of Advisors since 2009. For more than a decade, she spoke on behalf of the cancer center, advocating for research, early detection and prevention of the disease, the center wrote.
The British-Australian entertainer publicly battled cancer more than once. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992 and beat it. Doctors found cancer in her shoulder after a 2013 car accident. Then in 2017, she learned her breast cancer returned and had spread to her back, resulting in a tumor at the base of her spine.
The cancer reached stage 4, and Newton-John revealed to "60 Minutes Australia" that she didn't want to know how much time she had.
“We were blessed to have had Olivia as a friend and colleague,” Moffitt said. “She was one of a kind and an extraordinary individual. The Moffitt family is deeply saddened by her passing. We send our heartfelt condolences to her husband, John, and daughter, Chloe.”
TEGNA contributed to this report.