Olivia Newton-John and her husband John Easterling shared a heartfelt kiss under the mistletoe in a new photo. Shared to Newton-John’s social media, the image actually served multiple purposes, all of them very personal. At its core, it comes down to raising awareness and funds for cancer research.
John Easterling, a rainforest conservationist, has shown time and again he’s dedicated to a cause. For some time, that’s included supporting his wife through her battle now with stage four cancer. This kiss symbolizes support in that very moment and for some time to come.
John Easterling’s support for Olivia Newton-John
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Olivia Newton-John and John Easterling met through mutual friends and a mutual interest in the environment. Newton-John herself has a long resume of activism as well. Through this, the two continued meeting at charity events and the like. Ultimately, the friends became something more. Finally, the Grease star married him at the age of 59. As Amo Mama notes, it’s never too late for love.
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On Instagram and Twitter, the two shared a heartfelt kiss picture on December 22. By itself, the kiss represents all the love that led up to this moment and what they feel to this day. However, it also carries another purpose with a more somber background.
Raising awareness and funds for research
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“While everyone is preparing for the holidays, did you know that mistletoe isn’t just for getting a kiss from that special someone at Christmas?” her caption inquires. “Mistletoe has had a long history of medicinal applications for centuries and, modern day scientists are now exploring its use as a treatment for colon cancer.” Currently, Newton-John finds herself battling stage four cancer. But husband John Easterling is right at her side.
Her history with the condition stems decades back, rooted in tragedy. Her first diagnosis came in 1992 very shortly after her father died. Then, it returned again around 2013. Finally, another return arose in 2017. She brushes it off with, “It’s been a part of my life for so long. I felt something was wrong. It’s concerning when it comes back, but I thought: ‘I’ll get through it again.’” However, she fights to raise awareness and support research efforts. Notice, her caption tags the page for the Olivia Newton-John Foundation. At the end of the day, the organization is “committed to realizing a world beyond cancer.” It emphasizes research into holistic methods of treating the terrible condition so maybe, as a result, no one else has to live with it. Together, she and John Easterling want to make a big impact for everyone.