Delta Goodrem’s new role in global Fight With Care campaign to help cancer patients
Pop sensation Delta Goodrem is raising awareness of the harsh effects of cancer treatment in her new role where she hopes she can help others.
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Australian popstar Delta Goodrem has opened up about how the severe side effects of her cancer treatment has led her to front an initiative to help address a “huge gap” for patients.
Goodrem was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma when she was just 18 years old and endured eight months of chemotherapy and two months of radiotherapy.
The 38-year-old is now raising awareness of the harsh effects of cancer treatment as the new face of a global Fight With Care campaign launched by skincare brand La Roche-Posay.
At least 80 per cent of cancer patients suffer from skin side effects due to treatment, including itching, burning, scars and severe dryness aside from the other effects on their hair and nails.
“When somebody is in a fight, they’re going through numerous side effects and every part of their body is going through a fight,” Goodrem said on Monday.
“For me, it is about being able to find productive solutions that are kind on the body and to be able to care for it. When you have so many different drugs going through your body, it’s going to show its effects from the outside as well.
“It can be dry and scratching and people will share with you that it feels kind of like something coming out of the skin.”
La Roche-Posay will also commit significant funding to major supportive care initiatives commencing in 2023 including supporting a first of its kind dermo-oncology clinic at The Princess Alexandra Hospital Department of Dermatology in Queensland, as well sponsoring the McGrath Foundation to fund breast care nurses for three years.
This specialised clinic will allow oncology patients experiencing skin impacts to have direct access to specialised dermatological care through the hospital.
“For people going through cancer I want them to know they’re not alone,” Goodrem said. “The simple things in life are so beautiful when you look at it from a perspective of how lucky we are that we get to have this day”.
Director of dermatology at the Princess Alexandra Hospital Professor Kiarash Khosrotehrani said more than three quarters of cancer patients grapple with skin side effects resulting from treatment.
“The severity of these side effects can even compel patients to halt or delay their therapy even though these consequences can be mitigated by implementing straightforward skincare protocols, such as cleansing, moisturising, sun protecting and using protective products,” Prof Khosrotehrani said. “There is more that can be done to support cancer patients in achieving skin comfort.”
Last month, Goodrem - who has been staunch about keeping their romance private after several high profile relationships and break-ups - announced her engagement to her guitarist partner Matthew Copley.
The Born To Try pop superstar, who has been dating the musician since 2017, has also been kept busy on her national tour to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the release of her hit single Innocent Eyes.
“I’m still very much enjoying just sharing the engagement with the entire country. Going on tour when you’ve just shared you’re getting engaged was truly the most beautiful thing,” Goodrem said.
“I grew up in front of the whole country so it feels, you know, just really beautiful. It’s a beautiful thing to share with everybody and this is another chapter.”
It comes as Goodrem‘s return to acting in Netflix’s Love Is In The Air has become a hit globally with the rom-com proving to be a major success on Netflix.
The movie, set in Far North Queensland, is currently ranked as the second-most popular globally and attracted 11.7 million viewers in its first week.
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