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Dame Olivia Newton-John will be honored in a state memorial service later this month as the Victorian government released new details ahead of the event.
The Australian-raised performer died peacefully at her ranch in California in August at the age of 73, after a long battle with several bouts of cancer over the course of her life.
Newton-John became a household name after starring as the iconic Sandy in the hit 1970s movie musical Grease alongside American actor John Travolta.
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Premier Daniel Andrews announced the February 26 event is being closely worked on with the Newton-John family, as fans prepare to celebrate the star’s life.
“Dame Olivia Newton-John was an inspiration to many around the world – her work in cancer research and treatment saved lives and changed lives and her music was the soundtrack to a generation,” he said in a statement.
“We know Victorians are eager to celebrate the life of a driving force in medical research and an icon of film and music, with a service befitting her international acclaim.”
The memorial service will include a performance by singer Delta Goodrem, who played ONJ in a biopic of the star’s life and has previously called the Aussie “her hero”.
Victorians and those wishing to attend can register to be part of the free event at Hamer Hall, but mourners are warned there will be a limited number of tickets.
Newton-John sold more than 100 million records worldwide during a six decade entertainment career, however, her legacy transcends the stage and screen given her role promoting cancer awareness.
The icon became well-known for her work with cancer research. The mother-of-one was first diagnosed with the disease in 1992 before it sadly returned in 2013.
The cancer came back more lethal in 2017 and a tumour at the base of her spine progressed to stage four.
However, the Australian-raised singer used her 30-year battle as inspiration to continue advocating for other cancer patients and established the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre (ONJCC) in 2012 at Austin Hospital in Victoria.
Given her lifelong philanthropy role, Newton-John’s family has requested memorial tributes be made in the form of contributions to the ONJCC.
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