Magda Szubanski, a beloved Australian actress and comedian, has shared an update from her hospital bed as she battles stage four cancer.
The 64-year-old, best known for her iconic portrayal of Sharon Strzelecki in Kath & Kim, posted a video from her hospital bed on Sunday evening.
In the clip, she thanked a young fan whose impression of her famous character lifted her spirits during chemotherapy.
“This is a special shout-out to 10-year-old Annabella in Adelaide. Thank you so much for your impression of Sharon Strzelecki. I’m in here having chemo and it really cheered me up,” Szubanski said, smiling.
“I’m very touched, that was a beautiful thing to do. Thank you, my sweet.”
Szubanski’s cancer diagnosis and treatment
Szubanski revealed earlier this year that she had been diagnosed with Mantle Cell Lymphoma, a rare and aggressive blood cancer.
Appearing on social media in May with a shaved head, she explained her treatment would follow the demanding Nordic protocol — a multi-phase program that combines several powerful drugs, as reported by the Sydney Morning Herald.
“It is one of the nasty ones, unfortunately,” she said at the time. “The good thing is I’m surrounded by beautiful friends, family and an incredible medical support team. Honestly, we have the best in the world here in Australia, particularly in Melbourne. I feel very fortunate.”
While acknowledging the gruelling nature of chemotherapy, Szubanski has remained hopeful. “New treatments keep coming down the pipeline all the time,” she shared.
In her latest message to fans, she admitted the toll treatment is taking. “Chemo is smacking me around right now and you really cheered me up. Bless you, my darling.”
Inside Szubanski’s cancer journey
Throughout her journey, the actress has been updating her fans on social media through a series of videos and various images.
Szubanski has maintained a positive outlook throughout her treatment, and this is shown in her videos, where she's usually cracking jokes or thanking people for their support.
On May 29, she shared the start of her battle against cancer, revealing that she had shaved her head ready for chemotherapy.
Despite this awful news, Szubanski still laughed during the video and explained that she was surrounded by love, as well as some of the best health care in the world.
Alongside this, she wrote: "Lovelies. Well. Some not great news. I’ve been diagnosed with stage 4 Mantle Cell Lymphoma - a rare and fast-moving blood cancer.
"It’s serious, but I’ve started one of the best treatments available (the Nordic protocol), and I’m lucky to be getting absolutely world-class care here in Melbourne.
"I won’t sugar-coat it: it’s rough. But I’m hopeful. I’m being lovingly cared for by friends and family, my medical team is brilliant, and I’ve never felt more held by the people around me."
Szubanski continued: "I’ll be lying very low while my immune system takes a hammering, so if you see me out and about - don’t hug me, kiss me, or breathe anywhere near me! Wave enthusiastically from a safe distance and know I love you madly.
"This is an obscure cancer and was only discovered incidentally via a breast screen where they found my lymph nodes were up.
"TBH, I’ve been feeling pretty ratshit for ages. So I asked for extra bloods and - voila! So the take away is - get tested and listen to your body!
"For now, just know I’m in good hands, good spirits - but I reserve my yuman right to be a cranky old moll."