Olivia Newton John
Wellness And Healthy Living
By Kimberly Burns, OTR/L, CLT
I had the opportunity to speak with Olivia Newton-John about her wellness and healthy living passions. ONJ supports Alternative and Complimentary Medicines as evidenced by her development of the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre (ONJ Centre) in Australia. After experiencing her own journey with cancer, ONJ feels she has become a “Cancer Thriver” and believes strongly that natural therapies should be included for a whole person plan of care.
ONJ talks more about how she became the spokesperson for FYZICAL [1] and about her Wellness Centre.
ONJ: I met Scott Pensivi (Franchise owner FYZICAL Las Vegas) when I was living in Vegas. There I learned about the program he had for rehabilitation and teaching people how to get strong. I went in and had the full tests done for my balance (FYZICAL BODYQ). I was very impressed with the program. I thought, “What a good fit”.
[2]
Kimberly Burns with Olivia Newton John
At my centre in Melbourne Australia we have state of the art cancer treatment, chemo therapy and radiation. The wellness center is there to support people going through the treatments at the hospital, body mind and spirit and we have wonderful acupuncture, massage, music therapy, and yoga. It’s everything to support the person.
From where it started, the wellness programs have now trickled out to the wards. We have music at Christmas time. My dear friend John and his amazing staff came with me to the hospital, all the patients came down to the lobby and we sang for them. It was amazing. We try to bring uplifting things to them as much as we can.
We have group therapy so people can discuss their issues when they are going through different cancers. The whole wellness therapy idea has really been beneficial for everyone in the hospital and it’s been really uplifting which is incredibly important when you are going through cancer. We are getting great feedback from the patients.
It took ONJ several attempts to get a diagnosis of breast cancer. She had ultrasound, a biopsy and mammogram all reporting negative findings. ONJ had a feeling that something was not right and pursued finding out what was going on with her. Body awareness is critical to health and developing knowledge of how the body works improves a person’s ability to maintain health. Learning what your body is doing can be a confusing and a daunting process if you rely solely on the medical world to tell you what is going on inside you. I asked ONJ “What kept you going to find out that it was cancer when all the results were negative?”
[3]
ONJ: I would encourage women to listen to that inner voice if you feel something is wrong, even though someone says you are too young or “you’re fine”. If you feel something is wrong, we have an inner voice and need to listen. We need to pursue that. Make sure that it isn’t anything more because doctors are not gods and they don’t know everything at the time. They’re just humans. You know your body better than anyone. I think you have to listen to that.
In trying to ask questions that were not too personal yet novel to her, I posed a question related to raising children. ONJs daughter Chloe is in her 20’s as are my children. Like most children with famous parents, her teen’s struggles were publicized. When my children were in the teenage struggle years I often wondered if there would a time I didn’t have to worry so much.
Do you have any advice for other parents that are struggling and think there will never be an end?
[4]
Olivia Newton John’s Wellness Centre
ONJ: Laughs Well that was a good question I don’t think I’ve had to answer that.
I believe that she would get through it herself eventually and it was part of her life’s journey. We all have an image our life journey and our struggles. You support your children as much as you can, but all of us have different journeys that we have to go through. As a parent, you just have to be there for them as much as you can. Offer them the most advice to get them to help themselves. Beyond that, it’s going to be their choice in the end. I really believed in her that and that she’d be OK.
My search for targeted, unique and informative questions had me asking locals what they would ask ONJ. The question of “Where is her spandex from Grease now?” came up and through research found it was recently asked and answered. Yes she has them and may soon be auctioning them off in support of her Wellness Center. Upon questioning people I had come across, someone stated “She was my heart throb”. My question then to her was:
“How does it feel to hear that you were the heartthrob of many men, old and young?”
ONJ: Giggling It kind of makes me giggle now. I don’t really think about it. What they are seeing is really a photograph or image of me. It’s not really me, it’s an illusion. But it’s very flattering to be the center of it, of course.
Continued Next Month: Do I dare ask this?
“Did Sandy sell-out and become Danny’s leather clad dream or did she claim her sexuality and her inner self?”
Sent in by Cheryl Burns of Virginia.
Since this interview, ONJ is again facing cancer and we want to offer our support and healing thoughts on the new journey she has ahead of her.
Love and Light to Olivia.
Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre
www.onjcancercentre.org [5]
Olivia Newton-John Website
www.olivianewton-john.com [6]
Click HERE [7] to download a pdf of the story.
PREVIOUS ARTICLE [8]
NEXT ARTICLE [9]
[10]Kimberly Burns, OTR/L, CLT, is an Occupational Therapist with over 14 years’ experience working with clients ranging from infants to the elderly. She has always had passion for wellness and what she could do at home for herself to manage pain and delay disease processes. Her recent certification in Lymphedema Therapy has provided her further incentive to focus her business around preventing disease and halting its progression. Kimberly Burns, OTR/L, CLT – (215) 499.0444 – Kim.Burns@SensoryIntuition.com [11] – www.SensoryIntuition.com [12].
Copyright © 2017 REAL Exclusive Magazine www.getrealexclusive.com [13]
Links to this article are encouraged
[14]