Olivia Newton-John, best known for her role as Sandy, opposite John Travolta, in the musical blockbuster ‘Grease’ which dominated 80s pop culture, died aged 73, after repeated treatments for cancer, her family announced Monday.
‘Dame Olivia Newton-John … passed away peacefully at her Ranch in Southern California this morning, surrounded by family and friends,’ John Easterling, her husband, said in a statement on her official Facebook page.
‘We ask that everyone please respect the familys privacy during this very difficult time,’ he added.
‘Olivia has been a symbol of triumphs and hope for over 30 years sharing her journey with breast cancer. Her healing inspiration and pioneering experience with plant medicine continues with the Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund, dedicated to researching plant medicine and cancer,’ the statement read.
Newton-John, who was first diagnosed in 1992, advocated plant-based treatments all her life and pushed for more research on medicinal herbs in the medical community.