Look To The Stars News: Dannii Minogue

LTTS Exclusive - Dannii Minogue Lights Up Harrods For Charity

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Look To The Stars’ Richard Barker was lucky enough to be invited to a very special celebrity charity event in London last week and filed this report.

I have a confession… I love Christmas! It is my favourite time of year. One magical part of this celebration are the lights. I was fortunate enough to be invited to Harrods this year to watch ‘The Emerald Lights Switch On’. Dannii Minogue and the Harrods Chairman Mohamed Al Fayed transformed the World’s Most Famous Department Store into the Emerald City for Christmas.

This Christmas, Harrods has teamed up with Warner Brothers to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the iconic film The Wizard of Oz – and as part of the celebrations is helping to raise £300,000 for the Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity.

Harrods has transformed itself into The Emerald City as 11,500 bulbs that decorate the store’s famous façade turned from white to a glittering green. International singing and television star Dannii Minogue and Harrods Chairman Mr Al Fayed switched on the lights to make the store’s dazzling transformation.

Dannii and Mr Al Fayed were accompanied by ten year old Dominic, a patient of Great Ormond Street Hospital. Dominic was born with foetal alcohol syndrome, a condition which meant he underwent major heart surgery at three years old and has continued to be a regular visitor at the hospital.

As part of its Wizard of Oz Christmas season, Harrods is helping to raise £300,000 for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity to fund 3 bedrooms in the new kidney unit, which will make a real difference to the lives of the patients and families.

Customers are invited to lend a hand in Harrods Emerald Palace switch-on by visiting Harrods.com and donating to Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity, to help make the holidays special for the less fortunate. Visit Harrods.com to make a minimum donation of £10 to benefit Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity.

Children from GOSH met the Harrods Chairman and opened the exclusive Ruby Slipper Boudoir. Limited numbers of the magical shoes are on sale priced from £19.95 and available in a junior size 4 to an adult size 8, and 10% of the fee from each pair sold will go to GOSH.

I would highly recommend that you pay Harrods a visit this Christmas.

Dannii Minogue To Turn On Harrods Lights For Charity

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

X Factor judge Dannii Minogue is set to switch on the Harrods Christmas lights for charity this year.

The world-famous department store will be transformed into the Emerald City to celebrate the 70th anniversary of The Wizard Of Oz, and is hoping to raise £300,000 for Great Ormond Street Hospital to fund three bedrooms in the new kidney unit.

“The Wizard Of Oz is one of my favorite movies, so I will click my heels together three times and see you there,” said Minogue. “It’s always a treat to be able to support Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity – this year will be magical with the transformation of Harrods into the Emerald City.”

Customers can join in the fun and make donations by clicking here. Dannii Minogue will flick the switch at 5pm on October 29 in London.

Celebrity-Led Fundraising Campaign Supports Charities In Their Hour Of Need

Fri, 22 May 2009 15:00:00 -0000

How would you like to meet some of your favourite celebs, in the flesh? Are you a fan of Daniel O’Donnell or Tim Henman, maybe Raymond Blanc or Rock Legend Suzi Quatro?

Or, maybe celebrities are not your thing, so how about the ultimate behind the scenes day with the Red Arrows or backstage on GMTV? Perhaps even own one of Paul O’Grady’s iconic Lily Savage dresses or a stunning print signed by Ali and Joe Frazier!

All these and a lot more form part of a very timely and innovative celebrity led fundraising campaign which launches on Thursday evening May 21st to provide hard hit charities with much needed revenue at a time when their donation levels are plummeting.

The BIG Bid campaign was created and built by the specialist charity support organisation, Ingenious Fundraising, in partnership with eBay for Charity and supported by the Charities Aid Foundation. It has been two years in the planning and can be found at www.ebay.co.uk/thebigbid. The campaign really is going live at a crucial time for the nation’s voluntary sector.

Campaign director, Paul Sayer, says ‘People seem to be fed up with doom and gloom stories at the moment so we hope they will indulge in a little retail therapy to lift their spirits. By treating themselves to something special they will also get a feel-good factor from knowing they are helping some very deserving causes into the bargain’.

‘We have found some exceptional items such as the ultimate VIP day for the Wimbledon Men’s Final with Tim Henman signing a special memento or how about a flight over London in a vintage airliner with a celebrity guest on board. These are experiences that just don’t come along every day, so should attract some real interest’.

About 25 charities will benefit from the campaign which runs for 10 days until Sunday May 31st including one of the nation’s most popular causes, Help for Heroes, along with Action for Children, CLIC Sargent, the Teenage Cancer Trust and many more.

Going under the hammer are items such as:

The Ultimate VIP Day with The Red Arrows. Really get behind the scenes at their Scampton home base.
Paul O’Grady’s Lilly Savage teddy bear dress
Meet Countdown’s own Rachel Riley
Meet Daniel O’Donnell in person in concert
The Ultimate VIP Day at Haydock Racecourse for The Sprint Cup as guests of Betfred – rub shoulders with a host of celebrities.
Meet Raymond Blanc and a host of celebrity chefs at amazing Gala Gourmet Dinner in Guildhall, London.
Ali v Frazier stunning signed print
Meet Rock Legend Suzi Quatro in concert
Men’s Finals Day VIP package with personally signed memorabilia by Tim Henman at Wimbledon 2009.
Pelé hand signed retro Brazil shirt with photo COA
Fully signed England Football Squad shirt donated by the FA
The X-Factor judges amazing art work Simon Cowell, Dannii Minogue, Cheryl Cole and Louis Walsh crafted in toast – yes toast!
Retro 1966 England Shirt signed by 20 of the World Cup winning squad and photo evidence
Meet the GMTV team – go backstage during a morning broadcast
Glastonbury signed shirts inc Kings Of Leon, The Fratellis and The Verve
Jeff banks own Olympic Bid Team Watch
Jools Holland signed memorabilia
Fly over London in an historic aircraft
Signed Brian Lara mini cricket bat
Stunning signed memorabilia from Lulu, Kylie Minogue, Pierce Brosnan, Michael Schumacher and many other stars of stage, screen, music and sport
Signed sheet music from Queen and Robbie Williams.

Exclusive Interview: Look To The Stars Talks To Olivia Newton-John

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 15:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

With four Grammy Awards and a further eight nominations behind her, Olivia Newton-John is nothing short of a legend in the music world.

Born in England but raised in Australia, Olivia was talented singer from a young age and passionate about music: she released her first solo album in 1971, and in 1974 represented the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest. A long list of hits, including I Honestly Love You and Let Me Be There, led to her being cast as Sandy in the film version of Grease in 1978.

The early 1980s were phenomenal years for the young star, and she had a string of hits including Xanadu, Let’s Get Physical, and Suddenly. But in 1992, on the eve of a world tour, Newton-John was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was the start of a long battle for the Grammy Award winning artist, but she eventually overcame the disease and returned to music.

She also devoted herself to helping other cancer sufferers, and now plans to build the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Centre in Australia, which will provide complementary therapies to support patients on their cancer journey, treating mind and spirit as well as the body. The Wellness Centre is Olivia’s special passion, with a focus on the whole person and not just the disease.

This weekend, the singer will join Leeza Gibbons in hosting A Night To Make A Difference, a star-studded Oscar party sponsored by Look To The Stars celebrating advocacy, philanthropy and volunteerism in Hollywood.

Look To The Stars was lucky enough to chat with Olivia about A Night To Make A Difference and her thoughts on making the world a better place.

Hi Olivia, tell us a little about the Night To Make A Difference event.

The Night To Make a Difference party is to benefit the Leeza Gibbons Memory Foundation and my own Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Center.

Leeza walked the Great Wall of China for my charity last year. She’s an amazing person and is committed to sufferers of Alzheimer’s Disease and the caregivers of those sufferers. She came up with the idea to do an Oscar party as a fundraising idea for our two charities.

But now it has morphed into a bigger night than just our two charities – it’s about everybody’s philanthropy and giving back. It’s a new era in America with the new Obama presidency, and it’s all about giving back, so we decided to make the night an evening about celebrity giving – like the theme of Look To The Stars.

We want celebrities to talk about the good things they are doing and share the things that they care about. It’s all going to be able to be watched live via webcast on www.extratv.com and www.glam.com. People are going to get a chance to see celebrities from television, film, sports and music at this wonderful evening at Mr Chow in Beverly Hills. David Foster is going to be our co-host – he’s a man who has been greatly admired and respected in Hollywood and around the world for his music, writing, and producing. I’ve known David for a really long time and I am so happy he is going to be a part of this.

It’s going to be a carbon neutral event, we’re going to plant a tree for everybody who attends. This will erase the carbon footprint, which is also something I do in my spa in Gaia in Australia. I think it is a wonderful thing to do.

It’s going to be a really wonderful evening. Joining Look To The Stars as sponsors is the Make The Difference Network and many more great charity organizations. And Leeza, David and I are going to be the hosts. It’s going to be a great night exploring the themes of advocacy, philanthropy and volunteerism.

Tell us a little about the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Centre in Australia.

The Austin Hospital in Melbourne has been the premier cancer centre in Australia for a long, long time and they asked me if I would put my name on a cancer unit they were going to build there. I went to see their facilities and they were so run down and in such bad repair that I said I would love to help them, but only if they also build a new wellness centre. When I had cancer – in 1992 – I was lucky enough to have things to help me in body, mind, and spirit. I had meditation and yoga, I had homeopathy and acupuncture and all these alternative therapies that helped me get through the whole healing process, emotionally as well as physically. So I wanted to create a place on the hospital grounds that could offer that. That became part of the appeal, and I am very excited about that.

We’ve been fundraising for it for five years. We held a major fundraising event last year when we spent three weeks walking the length of the Great Wall of China, which was amazing. We raised $2 million.

I’m also lucky to have the support of celebrities such as Cliff Richard and Dannii Minogue. Leeza Gibbons is an Ambassador. A few of the stars who did the Great Wall Walk became Ambassadors. Because I can’t be there all the time, they can represent the hospital and help with fundraising. I’m so happy because people are so committed and so wonderful, and it really helps me such a lot and helps the hospital with all the events we put on. And in this environment it is a great challenge, but cancer is a challenge that everyone is facing. I went to the hospital not so long ago when I was in Australia, and I went to visit some of the patients there and it really is amazing how many people are battling cancer – and in such different age groups, they’re getting younger and younger.

What would be your message for someone who has just been diagnosed with cancer?

The best thing I could say is “Here I am.” When I went through it and had just finished my treatment, I met a woman who said “Oh, I read in the paper that you had breast cancer – well don’t worry, I had it 20 years ago and I’m fine now.” That was a defining moment for me. As unimportant as it may sound to other people, for me it was huge – here she was 20 years later and she was ok. I thought to myself “Well if she could do it 20 years ago when the treatments weren’t as good” – it was a really enlightening moment.

So what I would say to new patients is “Here I am” and give them that hope and do something for them emotionally. Make them feel good. Encourage them to take care of themselves.

That’s what I always say to women – we’re always so busy taking care of everybody else that we sometimes forget to take care of ourselves. They really need to look at that and take time for themselves to heal. Here’s a little quick tip I like to give: Have a close friend or loved one field all the calls asking you how you are doing. Everybody wants to know how you are, but it is very exhausting to constantly have to talk about your illness. So if you get someone to do that for you, it clears you from having to take all those phone calls and focus on healing.

You’ve done a lot of work in recent years promoting breast self exams – tell me a little about that.

I have this very simple but very effective device called the Liv Aid. It’s a very simple medical device that helps you with your breast exams. It makes any changes in your breasts more defined because it enhances your touch.

Curves gave a million of them away when I walked the Great Wall of China, and they still have some. You can go to Liv.com and read about it and about breast self exams and the whole philosophy behind it.

What I really want to do is encourage women because a lot of women are afraid to self examine their own breasts as they are scared they will find something – which defeats the whole purpose. Early detection is key. So I’m trying to encourage women at a very early age to get into the habit of doing self-exams. I actually found my lump myself – it wasn’t seen on mammograms. I don’t want to scare anyone or put them off mammograms, but just to encourage people to be self aware. If you do find anything – and usually it is nothing, because women do get benign lumps quite often – if you catch it early, then you have a better chance at survival. It’s simple and easy to do.

What other causes and charities would you urge people to support?

I’m involved with the Amazon Centre for Environmental Education and Research (ACEER). My husband has a wonderful company called the Amazon Herb Company that brings in herbs from the Amazon Rainforest. Not only does he bring in these wonderful healing herbs but he also helps support the inhabitants of the Amazon rainforests gain titles to their land, and now we have teamed up with ACEER to help educate the children of the Amazon into the importance of maintaining the rainforests – they live in it, they don’t realize that not everybody has a rainforest in their backyard. It’s incredibly important for them to save it from within. So we provide them with boats, food, clothes, but the main focus of the ACEER affiliation is education. We also want to educate the outside world too. There is so much to learn from the rainforests, and we are losing them at such an incredible rate.

My husband is incredibly involved with that, and he’s a wonderful person. He has just released a wonderful new health drink called Zamu, made from a superfruit from the rainforest called Camu, which is a feel-good fruit. It clears your mind and brightens your day. I’m helping him with that because a portion of the profits goes to ACEER.

Everything I do revolves around health and wellbeing. I have a spa in Australia called Gaia Retreat and Spa which is up near Byron Bay. My music is also tied in – I did a CD called Grace and Gratitude, which is healing CD.

How can we – as regular human beings – make a difference and help the planet, those around us, and ourselves?

I think we all need to try and be in a place of love. Fear cannot exist in a place of love. So if we try to stay in a positive place – which I know is very difficult – then we can create a positive future.

I think we will all get through whatever life throws at us, and we will all be better on the other side of it.

Look To The Stars would like to thank Olivia Newton-John for taking time out of her busy schedule to talk to us. To find out more about the Night To Make A Difference Oscar Party – which will take place on February 22 at Mr Chow in Beverly Hills – check out this website. To learn more about Olivia’s upcoming tour, see her official website. And to read Olivia’s personal message to the victims of the recent Australian bushfires, click here.

Celebrities Give Big To Australian Fire Victims

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 15:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Canadian music legend Leonard Cohen has donated money to the victims of the terrible fires raging across southern Australia.

The fires have already claimed over 180 lives and almost 1,000 homes around Melbourne, and authorities fear the death rate could rise to over 300. Cohen, who is currently on tour in the country with Aussie icon Paul Kelly, has come to the aid of the thousands of homeless victims with a donation of AUS$200,000 (US$134,000).

“Leonard has loved his time in Australia on this tour and is shocked and deeply saddened by the news of the fires,” said tour promoter Michael Gudinski. “Leonard, Paul, their touring parties and everyone at AEGLive UK and The Frontier Touring Company wish to extend their heartfelt sympathies to those that have suffered the loss of loved ones or their homes through this terrible tragedy.”

The musicians are also collecting money from fans at their concerts.

Kylie Minogue is also reportedly considering hosting a benefit gig with her sister Dannii and fellow Australian singer Natalie Imbruglia in London.

“I think we should definitely talk about doing something like a fundraiser for those affected by the bushfires,” said Imbruglia.

The Australian and New Zealand teams have also stepped up to help and raised $6 million for the relief appeal at a one-day game in Adelaide on Tuesday night.

“We’ve actually decided as a group that we’re going to fly to Melbourne and get on a team coach and go out to Whittlesea and spend a few hours there to try and make things a fraction easier if we can,” said Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting.

People wishing to donate to the victims of this terrible tragedy should go to the Australian Red Cross website.

Celebrities Get Hung On The Line

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:30:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Did you know there are over 88 million electric clothes dryers in the US? Did you know each of these uses 6% of the total electricity usage per household, second only to the refrigerator? And did you know a group of celebrities are trying to educate Americans about the environmental benefits of drying clothes on a clothes line?

Rachel Bilson is at the forefront of the campaign, and is joined by stars such as Olivia Newton-John, and Dannii Minogue in trying to get people back to basics to get their clothes dry. And they are full of reasons why nature beats electricity every time:

Clothes typically last longer without the duress of a machine dryer.
Exposure to sunlight is the best natural bleach for your clothes. Worried about fading clothes, simply hang them inside out.
The sun’s ultraviolet rays are an antiseptic and kill bacteria.
Line Drying is perfect for things that can’t go in the dyer – rubber-backed throw rugs, car mats, extra large blankets.
Line Drying inside on a retractable or folding clothesline is a great humidifier for your plants, skin and hair.
Line Drying is good for your health. Not only is it great exercise, if you are line drying outside you get some fresh air, and the little bit of sunlight that you need everyday.

“There is nothing that I love more than to take time to clear my head and hang the washing out on the line on a beautiful day – it makes your clothes and linens smell so good and it is very eco-friendly,” said Olivia Newton-John. “Our planet is our responsibility to take care of and line drying is one way in which we can all do our part to help the environment.”

More information on the campaign can be found at their website.

Olivia's Million Steps To Cure Cancer

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 09:44:54 -0000

Written by Elizabeth Willoughby

Only four days into the 3-week, 228-km walk along the Great Wall of China and Olivia Newton-John’s team of fund-raisers is already suffering sore knees, pulled muscles and twisted ankles, and realizing that this will be far more challenging than expected. No one is giving up yet, though, on a goal to raise $5 million towards the building of the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Centre in Melbourne.

The centre will provide in- and outpatient treatment and wellness therapies as well as integrated research into new and better cancer treatments and, ultimately, a cure.

Olivia – a cancer survivor – was diagnosed with the disease only two weeks after her father died from it. Fifteen years later, she has learned a lot on her road to recovery and is eager to give back. She says, “The whole experience has given me so much understanding and compassion I now want to help others going through the same journey.”

Olivia is joined in this gruelling challenge by Sir Cliff Richard, Dannii Minogue, Didi Conn, Gemma Atkinson, Joan Rivers, Leeza Gibbons, Marcus Patrick, Martina Laird, Scott Wolf, Amy Sky, and other celebrities whose lives have somehow been touched by cancer, as well as other cancer survivors.

Television host Leeza Gibbons, who joined the walk to support the hospital and her friend Olivia, was surprised at the physical effort required. “It was really exhausting and very challenging in certain spots. But whenever you would think, ‘Oh my gosh this is getting to be a lot,’ you’d look around behind you and there would be a cancer survivor.”

Over $1 million has been raised already. To meet the teams and sponsor a walker, go to The Great Walk To Beijing 2008.

Olivia Newton-John Steps Out For Cancer Treatment

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 11:06:42 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Olivia Newton-John is to lead a team of stars from sports and showbiz, as well as cancer survivors, on a 21-day extreme challenge to trek the entire length of the Great Wall of China.

The 59-year-old star and breast cancer survivor will be joined on the trip by stars such as Sir Cliff Richard, Leeza Gibbons, Jimmy Barnes, Joan Rivers, Dannii Minogue, members of rockband INXS, and many more as they trek along the landmark to raise money for the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Centre being built in Australia.

“They say the longest journey starts with the first step,” said the singer. “Since I was diagnosed with breast cancer 15 years ago I have taken many steps on my cancer journey. In recent times, the journey has been working with wonderful people to build the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Centre. Now, I’m taking one more step on that journey – all in the fight against cancer!”

The journey of “a million steps” will symbolize the physical and emotional journey of cancer patients. The event aims to gather $1 for each step taken along the Wall.

“People are asking me why do you want to walk 200 kilometers along the Great Wall of China, up 40 degree gradients, across mountain ranges and through dust storms of the Gobi Desert,” the singer said on her website. “The answer is that this journey – this million steps towards the cure for cancer – started for me 15 years ago, when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. That life-changing experience has given me some true understanding and compassion for others walking that path – and I want to help. That’s why I am so excited to be leading this walk on the Great Wall to raise money and awareness for the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre – these 21 days on the Wall will be another part of my own journey.”

Newton-John was born in Cambridge, England, in 1948, but moved to Australia when she was five. A talented singer from a young age and passionate about music, she released her first solo album in 1971, and in 1974 represented the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest. A long list of hits, including I Honestly Love You and Let Me Be There, led to her being cast as Sandy in the film version of Grease in 1978.

The early 1980s were phenomenal years for the young star, and she had a string of hits including Xanadu, Let’s Get Physical, and Suddenly (with Cliff Richard). But in 1992, on the eve of a world tour, Newton-John was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was the start of a long battle for the Grammy Award winning artist, but she eventually overcame the disease and returned to music. She also devoted herself to helping other cancer sufferers, and plans to build the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Centre, which will provide complementary therapies to support patients on their cancer journey, treating mind and spirit as well as the body. The Wellness Centre is Olivia’s special passion, with a focus on the whole person and not just the disease. Cancer patients worldwide will benefit from the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Centre’s dedicated research facilities and clinical trials, with the development of future cancer vaccines and therapies through the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, headquartered in New York.

Newton-John is also an ambassador to the United Nations Environmental Program, and served as a spokesperson for the Children’s Health Environ-Mental Coalition (CHEC) for 10 years. She spends large amounts of time supporting organizations such as the Red Cross, the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, the Rainforest Alliance, and Concept Cure. She also became well-known for promoting the Olivia Breast Self-Exam Kit.

More information about the Great Walk To Beijing can be found at www.greatwalktobeijing.com.

“The walk will be difficult and confronting – like life, there will be many ups and downs and unforseen challenges,” said the singer. “Every step we take will offer hope and strength to individuals facing cancer. It will be wonderful to have so many of my friends from the worlds of show business and sport walking with me. What might surprise you is how they too have been personally touched by cancer, and how each have their own story to tell. I will be walking for the friends I have lost and for all the many others still stepping.”

Look To The Stars News: Dannii Minogue

LTTS Exclusive - Dannii Minogue Lights Up Harrods For Charity

Related past articles

Dannii Minogue To Turn On Harrods Lights For Charity

Related past articles

Celebrity-Led Fundraising Campaign Supports Charities In Their Hour Of Need

Related past articles

Exclusive Interview: Look To The Stars Talks To Olivia Newton-John

Related past articles

Celebrities Give Big To Australian Fire Victims

Related past articles

Celebrities Get Hung On The Line

Related past articles

Olivia's Million Steps To Cure Cancer

Related past articles

Olivia Newton-John Steps Out For Cancer Treatment

Related past articles