August 17th, 2022Amy’s connection with Olivia

WITH the news of the death of Olivia Newton-John last Tuesday, there were many shared tributes and memories.
Connections to the region included Olivia’s help with the Love Your Sister campaign, staying in Hepburn’s Fourth Avenue while acting in The Man from Snowy River and even contracting a local family to make koala earrings for her very Aussie business Koala Blue.
But one of the biggest connections is with Hepburn House resident Amy Burow.
The 103-year-old has been knitting blankets for the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Centre in Melbourne for many years.
Amy’s grand-daughter Cherie Cheshire is the divisional director of the centre and wondered one day if “Ma” as Amy is known, would mind knitting the blankets. Amy, who had been knitting for another charity, happily jumped on board and the blankets are placed on display at the centre with patients able to choose one during their time there and then take home.
“One dear old man at hospital said to Cherie ‘why don’t you ever make a blanket for a bloke?’ and she told him she had one right there. She showed it to him and he was so excited that he was going to be able to take it home with him. Cherie said it was only because she didn’t have her phone on her that she didn’t take a photo – he was that happy.”
Amy said when she heard the news about Olivia she was “just shattered and devastated”.
“Whenever Olivia came to the centre, Cherie was the one who would show her around, so she is just like one of our family.”
In 2020, Amy received a certificate of appreciation for her years of knitting which she keeps nearby, and she intends to keep on knitting those blankets “until I can’t anymore”.
“Our family had a real connection with Olivia and her centre and I am just shattered. But it is really good to know that whenever you are knitting it is going to a good cause, to someone who really appreciates it. I just keep knitting.”
Details: www.hepburnhouse.com.au or 03 5348 8100.