Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund
In 2020 Dame Olivia Newton-John and her husband, John Easterling, have established the Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund. The foundation is an independent charity sponsoring global research into plant medicine therapies for cancer.
Dame Olivia is a three-time breast cancer survivor who has undergone several types of treatment such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. During her last bout with cancer she used plant-based medicine as an additional treatment. She was introduced to natural medicine by her husband, John Easterling, who is an expert in the field of plant medicine and a popular speaker at international conventions on the subject of natural medicine.
The foundation aims to educate patients and their caregivers about kinder options for treating all types of cancer. The foundation is committed to realizing a world beyond cancer. Therefore its mission is to ‘fund the discovery of kinder therapies and advocate for more effective ways to prevent, treat and cure all cancers.’ It does so by financing plant medicine research.
Research into the benefits of Amazonian plants
Olivia and John are especially keen on funding research on Amazonian plants. John, nicknamed Amazon John for a reason, spent many years in the Amazonian rainforests studying medicinal plants. He now adds his expertise to the foundation. It is a known fact that only a small percentage of the plants in the Amazon have been studied for their therapeutic value. Both Olivia and John have stressed the importance of a scientific approach for their foundation. Preliminary studies have shown that some plants will have a positive effect on the immune system and may even have the ability to fight cancer cells.
Fund the discovery of kinder therapies and advocate for more effective ways to prevent, treat and cure all cancers.
Other studies the foundation will fund are the research into the use of cannabis as a painkiller but also for its use in treating cancer. Easterling states that they want to research different chemovars and combinations thereof. After the passing of his beloved wife on 8 August 2002 Mr. Easterling has pledged to continue the work they both started with the foundation in 2020.
Auction to raise money for the ONJ Foundation Fund
In 2021 Olivia raised about 1 million Australian dollars for the foundation by auctioning off some of her private possessions. In January 2022 Olivia and Juliens Auctions held a third auction of Olivia’s personal belongings and career memorabilia to raise money for the Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund.
