Australian pop darling Delta Goodrem became a nationally-adored musician with a multi-platinum album and a cancer survivor, all before she reached her 20s.
In July 2003 the Born To Try singer was at the top of her musical game and had won a starring role on Neighbours the year prior – but it all came to a halt at age 18.
She was dealt a devastating health blow after being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, an aggressive form of cancer.
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Goodrem had released her debut album Innocent Eyes three months earlier when she received her diagnosis.
It meant all her music commitments would be put on hold as she underwent life-saving treatment. The cancer also forced Goodrem to shelve plans to release her album in the USA.
At the time, the singer was admirably upbeat about the battle she was about to endure.
“There will be good days and bad days, but on the good days I’ll do what I love to do and I’m really happy I could get here today,” she told the Sydney Morning Herald in August 2003, just one month after her diagnosis.
Goodrem immediately underwent chemotherapy and cancer treatment and understandably avoided the public eye for months.
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It was a cruel setback for the star, who had only really just launched her once-in-a-generation career as an artist.
She was still a teenager – something Goodrem reminded fans in 2007.
“Your whole perspective on life changes,” she said in an interview with The Guardian.“Everything changes. I feel I lost my innocence to cancer.”
The treatment was long and gruelling for Goodrem, who lost her hair and spent a year in-and-out of hospital.
Thankfully, she had a newly-minted legion of fans around Australia and the rest of the world to offer their support.
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The then-Prime Minister of Australia John Howard shared a public message and even music legend Elton John called Goodrem with his well-wishes.
And in October 2003, Goodrem even summoned the strength to attend the ARIA Awards, marking her first major public appearance after her diagnosis.
She wore a baby pink dress and debuted her new chic short hairstyle at the event.
Everything changes. I feel I lost my innocence to cancer.
It was there Goodrem won a total of seven awards and – as she was too unwell to sing – watched Darren Hayes from Savage Garden performed a moving rendition of her hit song Lost Without You.
Her awards scoop beat fellow Australian singer Natalie Imbruglia’s previous record of six in 1999.
“It’s like a light at the end of the tunnel, you just kept looking, kept thinking the ARIAs are coming up,” she told The Age of the 2003 ARIAS.
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Goodrem announced she was officially in remission in December 2003, five months after her diagnosis.
She immediately dove back into working on her second album, Mistaken Identity. It was released in 2004 and debuted at number one on the ARIAs chart.
Some would call it a roaring “comeback” – but after just a few months spent away from the studio during treatment and an ultra-succession second album – it seems she never left.
It has been 20 years since Goodrem announced she was diagnosed with cancer and her career has continued to skyrocket ever since.
The passionate cancer research advocate has released seven studio albums in her career so far and recently marked her sombre remission milestone.
“July 8, 2003. I remember that day so clearly and all the mixed emotions that came with the news of being diagnosed with cancer while My album had been sitting at #1 for three months prior and the third single hit #1 same day,” she recalled of her life-changing diagnosis on Instagram.
“I was meant to be going over to Europe where my album had just debut #2 and #1 in all different countries that week to start international promo. One split second and all the plans had changed. That’s life.”
She added: “One split second and all the plans had changed.”
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