Earlier this month she postponed her May tour dates over severe back pain linked to sciatica.

But on Tuesday Olivia Newton-John revealed that the pain was, in fact, the result of breast cancer that has metastasized to a bone in her lower back.

The singer, who placed fourth at Eurovision 1974, made the official announcement via her official Facebook page. The statement read:

Olivia Newton-John is reluctantly postponing her June U.S. and Canadian concert tour dates. The back pain that initially caused her to postpone the first half of her concert tour, has turned out to be breast cancer that has metastasized to the sacrum.

In addition to natural wellness therapies, Olivia will complete a short course of photon radiation therapy and is confident she will be back later in the year, better than ever, to celebrate her shows.

“I decided on my direction of therapies after consultation with my doctors and natural therapists and the medical team at my Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre in Melbourne, Australia,” says Olivia Newton-John.

There will be no interview requests accepted at this time as Olivia’s focus is on her treatment and healing. Ticket buyers for the upcoming concerts should contact venues directly about refunds. Rescheduled concert dates will be posted at OliviaNewton-John.com in the coming weeks.

Olivia Newton-John — “Physical”

A source close to Newton-John told People that the singer was optimistic about her treatment and resuming her live performances. “She plans to be touring in August,” the source said. “They’re all very positive.”

Newton-John’s daughter Chloe Lattanzi urged fans to pray for her mother’s health. “I love u mama,” she wrote on Instagram. “Will all of u send healing prayers for my mamas back please. I believe in the power of positive thinking and energy. Love u all.”

The UK-born, Aussie-raised songstress had already battled and overcome breast cancer back in 1992. She later founded the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre in Melbourne, Australia, to help patients fighting cancer and also to help find a cure for the disease.

She represented the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 1974 on home soil in Brighton — the same year ABBA won the contest with “Waterloo“. She sang “Long Live Love” and finished fourth. Her eponymous studio album was released the same year, and its US edition If You Love Me, Let Me Know topped the Billboard 200 chart.

Those early successes paved the way for Newton-John to become a true global star. But the event that really sent her soaring was her starring role in the 1978 cult classic Grease. After that she released her most successful album to date, Physical, which featured her biggest solo hit of the same name, she starred in another cult musical film Xanadu.

Newton-John has so far released 28 studio albums — including 2016’s Liv On, which features songs about her traumatic experience with cancer . She has won four Grammy Awards.

UK 1974: Olivia Newton-John — “Long Live Love”

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R
R
6 years ago

Wishing you a good recovery Olivia! 🙂 :-*

Jonas
Jonas
6 years ago

Sending all my best wishes and good vibes, with hopes for a full & speedy recovery.

A real star and a thoroughly decent human being.

Luke Hanson
6 years ago

All of Oz will send our Livvy positive energy. She is so loved Down Under.

HBau
HBau
6 years ago

You know how celebs sometimes pick a charity to champion, but you can tell their heart isn’t really in it? Not Olivia. She has been an incredibly committed advocate for cancer support for years. She fought long and hard and successfully for a cancer research institute in my home town of Melbourne, and over the past many years has become more famous down under for her advocacy and passion on this issue than anything that went before. So this is deeply unfair. But Australia is behind her and I wish her and her family all the very best. As the… Read more »