Olivia Newton-John Heartbroken After Death of Brother: 'Many Years of Decline'

By Kim Davis May 24, 2019 at 10:28am

Beloved singer and entertainer Olivia Newton-John, 70, announced that her brother, Hugh Newton-John, has died.

On May 23, the star posted photos of her brother on social media and an explanation of how his health had declined over the years.

“My dear, sweet, gentle, clever, brother Hugh passed away May 7, 2019, in Melbourne, Australia after many years of decline,” Newton-John wrote.

“I love him so and will miss him terribly. Love & light, Olivia.”

The star made the sad announcement last night https://t.co/WFla2X4e41

— HELLO! (@hellomag) May 24, 2019

The “Grease” star went on to include a heartfelt tribute written by some of Hugh Newton-John’s colleagues from the Burnet Institute, who summed up the incredible work the doctor had done throughout his career.

“Hugh was a well-respected infectious diseases clinician at Fairfield Infectious Diseases Hospital in Melbourne during the 1970s and 80s where his lively personality, sharp intellect and amazing ability to reassess complex infectious diseases was highly regarded,” the post read.

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My dear, sweet, gentle, clever, brother Hugh passed away May 7, 2019, in Melbourne, Australia after many years of decline. I love him so and will miss him terribly. Love & light, Olivia Vale – Dr. Hugh Newton-John Sadly, Hugh Newton-John died recently after a long battle with debility and decline. Hugh was a well-respected infectious diseases clinician at Fairfield Infectious Diseases Hospital in Melbourne during the 1970s and 80s where his lively personality, sharp intellect and amazing ability to reassess complex infectious diseases was highly regarded. Hugh was an innovator, an astute clinician and a wonderful teacher and mentor to generations of medical students, residents and ID trainees. Hugh was also a talented musician and artist who shared his gifts with many friends, colleagues and associates throughout his entire life. As a clinician-investigator Hugh led many key research projects, particularly among patients requiring care in the hospital's intensive care unit. These included the optimal means of managing tetanus, helping identify the link between recent Campylobacter gastroenteritis and the subsequent development of Guillain-Barre syndrome and improving the ventilation methods for polio patients who required long-term ventilation, as well as developing new approaches to preventing airway obstruction among patients with chronic upper airway weakness. He was a keen photographer and enjoyed recording patient stories about their illnesses and how they managed. Many of the classic clinical infectious diseases photos and audio recordings that now form part of the massive Fairfield Collection, owe their origins and meticulous cataloguing to Hugh's efforts – many have now been included in the key Australian ID textbook "Infectious Diseases: a clinical approach; third edition" (Eds: Yung, Spelman, Street, et al.). Recent years have not been kind to Hugh, but although he is now at peace, his memory and legacy will live on among those who worked and trained with him and the many patients who benefited from his fabulous care. Submitted by Lindsay Grayson, Anne Mijch, Jenny Hoy and Suzanne Crowe

A post shared by Olivia Newton-john (@therealonj) on May 23, 2019 at 10:32am PDT

“Hugh was an innovator, an astute clinician and a wonderful teacher and mentor to generations of medical students, residents and ID trainees,” the tribute continued.

“Hugh was also a talented musician and artist who shared his gifts with many friends, colleagues and associates throughout his entire life.”

The professors went on to credit Hugh Newton-John with spearheading research projects that led to better care for patients dealing with tetanus, polio and Guillain-Barre syndrome.

“Recent years have not been kind to Hugh, but although he is now at peace, his memory and legacy will live on among those who worked and trained with him and the many patients who benefited from his fabulous care.”

Newton-John is facing her own health problems, according to People, who reported that the singer is battling breast cancer for the third time.

Newton-John was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992 and again in 2013.

She founded the Melbourne-based Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre, which first opened in 2012, and has been a tireless advocate for cancer patients.

We wish her all the best as she says farewell to her beloved brother.

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Cancer, Celebrities, Death, Entertainment, Health, Women

Kim Davis

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A graduate of Grand Canyon University, Kim Davis has been writing for The Western Journal since 2015, focusing on lifestyle stories.

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Kim Davis began writing for The Western Journal in 2015. Her primary topics cover family, faith, and women. She has experience as a copy editor for the online publication Thoughtful Women. Kim worked as an arts administrator for The Phoenix Symphony, writing music education curriculum and leading community engagement programs throughout the region. She holds a degree in music education from Grand Canyon University with a minor in eating tacos.

Birthplace

Page, Arizona

Education

Bachelor of Science in Music Education

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Phoenix, Arizona

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English

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Lifestyle & Human Interest