Kylie Minogue has revealed that she delayed treatment for breast cancer in 2005 because she was desperate to have a baby. The pop star was diagnosed at age 36 while hoping to start a family with her then-boyfriend, French actor Olivier Martinez. In the third episode of her new Netflix documentary series, she candidly discusses her decision to postpone chemotherapy in order to undergo IVF treatment.
A Difficult Choice
Reflecting on that time, Kylie said: 'There's so much more to cancer than you had it, you got through it and you're fine - or fine for now. I was 36 when I got my diagnosis so already it's - you need to be thinking about children.' She admitted: 'I did try. I even postponed my chemotherapy to try - which was quite scary at the time because you just want it out. Gone. I want to feel safe, I don't want this. But yeah, I did try a few times with IVF, always it was with such a thread of hope. But I couldn't not try.'
Kylie acknowledged that a successful pregnancy would have been 'just shy of a miracle,' but it was not meant to be. 'One can't help but wonder what it would have been like - and I'm so close to my family. But it wasn't my path,' she said.
A Letter to an Unborn Child
In the documentary, Kylie reads a poignant letter she wrote to the baby 'that might have been': 'Distant child, my flower, are you blowing in the breeze? Can you feel me as I breathe life into you, wrapped in a blanket of hope, asleep on a bed of dreams? My step into eternity is not what it might have been. Or not at all - for who knows which way the wind is going to blow? I'm waiting for your whisper.'
Her sister Dannii, visibly emotional, spoke about Kylie's nurturing nature with her nephews. 'I never saw myself as a parent. And she always did. That's heartbreaking,' Dannii said. She added that she would have done anything to make the cancer disappear: 'I remember saying, if I could chop off one of my arms now and this could all go away, I would. I just felt so helpless.'
A Turning Point in Paris
During her chemotherapy in Paris, Kylie recalled a key moment when she looked out at the Eiffel Tower as its lights began to twinkle. 'I thought 'Oh, she's sparkling for me!' And I thought 'I'm not finished. This is not where I want to say goodbye',' she said. After treatment, she was determined to finish her world tour, though she felt drained. 'I felt like my body was a battleground,' she explained.
Secret Second Cancer Battle in 2021
Kylie also reveals in the documentary that she fought and overcame breast cancer for a second time in 2021. Unlike her first diagnosis, which was announced publicly within days due to her tour, she kept this battle private. 'I was able to keep that to myself and go through that year, not like the first time,' she said tearfully. 'I've been trying to find the right time to say it - I just couldn't at the time. I was just a shell of a person.'
She wrote a song called 'Story' with collaborator Richard 'Biff' Stannard to process the experience. 'When I started writing Story I knew one day I would share what the meaning behind the song was,' she said.
Support from Family and Fans
Kylie credited her family for their lifelong support. 'I was saved - I really was,' she said. 'Of course, you learn what resilience means and what love means.' She keeps a box of cards and messages from fans, which 'meant so much' during dark moments.
The second diagnosis explains why she moved back to Australia in late 2021. She urges others to attend check-ups: 'Early detection was very helpful. Check-ups are incredibly important. It can be daunting but please be mindful of just how vital they are.'
Triumph at Glastonbury
The documentary also covers her triumphant 2019 Glastonbury performance, after pulling out in 2005 due to cancer. 'I was terrified it would be like Spinal Tap,' she laughed. But it was a wave of love. 'I think I might have done it. Little Kylie got there,' she said. Nick Cave praised her genuine connection with the audience.
Looking ahead, Kylie says her passion for music is greater than ever. 'Pop music nurtures me. Pop can elate you, it can soothe you, it can be a type of salvation for some people.'
The documentary series 'Kylie' launches on Netflix on 20 May.
