‘Babe’ Star Magda Szubanski Shares Heartfelt Update on Living With Cancer Relapse

For over a year, Magda Szubanski has been candid with her fans about one of the most challenging periods of her life, detailing both the fears and the small victories that accompany her battle with a rare blood cancer. The cherished Australian actress has navigated this journey with the same honesty and humor that endeared her to audiences decades ago.

Her openness has deeply resonated with fans who have followed her treatment journey, from the initial diagnosis to the months of intense chemotherapy. Few celebrities have been as transparent about the realities of recovery and the uncertainties that come with it.

Recently, Szubanski provided her most comprehensive update yet. In her first major interview since disclosing her diagnosis, she explained that her recent remission is what she describes as an “incurable relapse in cancer,” indicating that the disease is likely to return at some point, despite the positive progress she has made.

“So, it’s almost sure that it will come back. It’s a question of when and then how bad,” Szubanski shared with host Tracy Grimshaw during an interview aired on Nine’s ’60 Minutes.’

At 65, Szubanski was diagnosed with stage four mantle cell lymphoma in May 2025, a rare and aggressive form of blood cancer. She first shared her diagnosis on social media, describing the seriousness of her condition while noting that she had begun one of the most effective treatments available, known as the Nordic protocol.

In February, she announced that she had completed chemotherapy and entered remission, providing her fans with a moment of relief after months of uncertainty. However, during her latest interview, she emphasized that remission does not equate to a cure, given the nature of her specific diagnosis.

She also addressed the statistical reality she now faces. “The median survival rate is eight-and-a-half years. So, I could go less, or I could go more,” she remarked, adding with her signature humor that she plans to “pitch for more.”

Szubanski opened up about the unsettling signs that initially indicated something was wrong, describing physical discomfort that was severe enough to disrupt her sleep. “I knew something was wrong. I just felt so unwell,” she recalled. “It would wake me up in the middle of the night, literally wake up with my dream voice saying, ‘You’re dying, you’re dying.’”

Her diagnosis was ultimately revealed during a routine breast cancer screening, where doctors noticed swollen lymph nodes, leading to further testing that confirmed mantle cell lymphoma. This detail has added weight to her earlier public message urging others to take unusual symptoms seriously and seek medical attention when something feels off.

Best known for her role as Sharon Strzelecki in ‘Kath & Kim,’ along with her performances in ‘Babe’ and ‘Happy Feet,’ Szubanski has been a beloved figure in Australian television for decades. Her long-standing public profile has made her candidness about this diagnosis resonate even more widely, both in Australia and internationally.

Her willingness to discuss her prognosis in such straightforward terms, rather than offering a simplified narrative of recovery, has struck a chord with many who are closely following her journey. For a public figure with her level of visibility, this kind of honesty provides a rare and grounded perspective on what living with an incurable illness truly entails.

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