Olivia Newton-John to Get State Memorial in Australia

Olivia Newton-John, who died Monday, will receive a state memorial service in Australia. 

The news was announced Thursday by Victorian state Premier Dan Andrews who said he had spoken to the "Grease" star's family and the offer of a state ceremony was accepted. 

"We're working with Olivia's family on the details, but it will be more of a concert than a funeral — fitting for a Victorian who lived such a rich and generous life," Andrews wrote on Twitter. 

Newton-John's niece Tottie Goldsmith previously opened up about her aunt during an interview with Nine Network, saying she felt the Australian people wanted Newton-John to have a state funeral. 

"I think Australia needs it," Goldsmith said. "She's so loved."

Newton-John was 5 when her family moved from the U.K. to Australia, where she became one of the most-loved celebrities. When she died Monday at her ranch in Southern California at 73, several Australian landmarks were lit in pink to honor her memory and recognize her "enormous contribution to cancer awareness, research and treatment," Andrews said.

Newton-John was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992 and underwent a partial mastectomy and reconstruction. She was diagnosed with breast cancer again in 2013 but managed to fight it. Then, in 2017, it returned. The disease eventually spread to her bones and forced her to have to learn to walk again after she fractured the base of her spine in 2018. 

Earlier this week reports emerged that Newton-John had sold off most of her real-estate portfolio a year after she revealed her stage 4 cancer diagnosis so that she could invest in her foundation and wellness center.

In 2012, with the help of state and federal funding, along with philanthropic support, Newton-John established Olivia Newton-John Cancer & Wellness Center at Melbourne's Austin Hospital, in which she continued to invest over the years. She also co-founded the Gaia Retreat & Spa in 2005 and more recently launched the Olivia Newton-John Foundation.

"I believe that when you go through something difficult, even something as dramatic as cancer, that something positive will come of it," Newton-John wrote on the website for the center. 

"With more and more people affected by cancer every day, I believe we are in a world desperate for healing, and I'm committed to doing whatever I can to help."

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