Beloved The Voice Australia star dies after Heartbreaking Cancer Battle
By JIMMY BRIGGS, SHOWBUSINESS REPORTER
Beloved The Voice Australia star Virginia Lillye died on Sunday, aged 56, following a two-year battle with advanced ovarian cancer.
The award-winning singer’s death was announced by Australian musician Don Spencer on social media.
‘I am terribly saddened to hear that the beautiful Virginia Lillye has lost her battle with cancer,’ Don began.
‘Virginia was not only an amazing talent but one of the loveliest people you could meet. She performed many times to help raise funds for The Australian Children’s Music Foundation.
‘She was an absolute showstopper. My deepest sympathy to Julian and her family. RIP.’
Heartbroken fans took to the comment section to share their condolences.
Beloved The Voice Australia star Virginia Lillye died on Sunday aged 56, following a two-year battle with advanced ovarian cancer
Don’s daughter Danielle – who is also the ex-wife of Russell Crowe – posted a love heart emoji.
‘What a beautiful soul. Very sad news,’ another person wrote.
‘Oh no such sad news. She was an amazing lady,’ a third chimed in.
Virginia spent decades touring the world, sharing the stage with Gene Simmons from KISS, Richie Kotzen from Poison and Gilby Clarke from Guns ‘N’ Roses, along with many of Australia’s best-known acts.
However, the Sydneysider was best known to many Aussies for being on season nine of The Voice in 2020, where she made it through to the top 20 showdown rounds as part of Boy George’s team.
Her world was turned upside down in June 2023 when she was diagnosed with stage three ovarian cancer.
After putting her career on hold, she spoke to Daily Mail at the time to help raise awareness about the disease.
‘It’s a silent cancer that doesn’t make its appearance known until it’s stage three,’ Lillye told Daily Mail in 2023.
Her world was turned upside down in June 2023 when she was diagnosed with stage three ovarian cancer
She was holidaying in Israel with her husband Julian when she started to experience severe stomach pains and bloating. The couple rushed to the hospital as soon as they landed back in Sydney and received the devastating news three days later
‘Ovarian cancer doesn’t get as much attention as other cancers. It’s a sneaky cancer with the symptoms coming on late in the diagnosis.
‘It usually gets to stage three before you know what’s happening. There needs to be more awareness among society. More funds need to be raised to help instigate finding ways to discovering earlier diagnosis.’
She was holidaying in Israel with her husband Julian when she started to experience severe stomach pains and bloating.
The couple rushed to the hospital as soon as they landed back in Sydney and received the devastating news three days later.
Following the diagnosis, she underwent several rounds of chemotherapy.
She lost her hair in the initial round of chemo, prompting her husband to cut off his own long locks.
The performer also suffered a series of complications, including multiple infections, sepsis and staph.
‘They had to reopen my guttered torso to remove and treat the infection and then sew and staple me back up… leaving me with no belly button anymore,’ she recalled.
There is no early detection test for ovarian cancer, with around 70 per cent of cases diagnosed in the advanced stages where it has spread to other parts of the body.
