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Magda Szubanski’s shock career move following rare blood cancer diagnosis: ‘Close to my heart’

BBG News

Renowned Australian actress Magda Szubanski will soon revive the fictional character who became widely recognized due to her performances.

64-year-old actress, who disclosed recently about being diagnosed with an uncommon type of blood cancer, is set to reprise her role as Sharon Strzelecki from the popular Kath & Kim sitcom for a fresh nationwide mental health awareness campaign.

In the TV show Kath and Kim, Magda was originally cast, and now she’ll bring back her character, Sharon, for a brief 60-second spot in Medibank’s ‘Family Roast’ advertising campaign.

The Family Roast is centered around a card game designed to facilitate deeper discussions about mental health among Australians. Within this game, two new characters, Tim and Pam (Sharon’s children), will be introduced.

Expressing concern for the emotional health of Australians has long resonated deeply with me – be it by bringing laughter into their lives, or by advocating for understanding and collecting donations for those dealing with trauma, shared Magda during her announcement on Tuesday.

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This is an exceptional program, and we wish it equips ordinary Australians with useful resources for gaining deeper insights into mental health, as well as fostering stronger connections among each other.

Medibank announced that their new advertisement set to air on June 8 will portray Magda as character Sharon, along with her on-screen kids, engaging in a round of the Family Roast card game. This interaction is designed to showcase the characters building a stronger emotional bond and getting to know each other better.

Magda played the character Sharon, who was always unlucky in love, in the popular ABC comedy Kath & Kim from 2002 to 2005, as well as in 2007 and 2022. She also appeared in two films based on the series: Da Kath & Kim Code in 2005 and Kath & Kimderella in 2012.

The comedy series featuring Jane Turner, Gina Riley, Glenn Robbins, and Peter Rowsthorn eventually earned a place among Australia’s most cherished and adored comedic shows.

It comes after Magda revealed last month that she has been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer.

An Australian stand-up comic shared that she’s facing off against a seldom-seen, aggressive form of blood cancer called Mantle Cell Lymphoma.

Online, it was announced that Magda made an appearance on camera sporting a bald head, as she embarked on her treatment journey against the illness.

Greetings everyone. I’ve recently learned that I’m battling a highly unusual, rapidly progressing, and severe form of lymphoma. As a precaution, I’ve decided to shave my head in preparation for potential hair loss over the next couple of weeks.

Unfortunately, it turns out to be one of the unpleasant cases. However, the bright side is that I am enveloped by lovely friends, family, and a remarkable medical care team.

To be completely honest, Australia boasts some of the finest offerings globally, with Melbourne standing out remarkably. Consequently, I consider myself incredibly lucky to be here.

‘It can be quite intimidating, intense even. Yet, there’s an ongoing stream of novel treatments being developed.’

Magda mentioned that she’s begun following the Nordic protocol, an approach designed for Mantle Cell Lymphoma. This method aims to reduce tumors using a sequence of five distinct drug stages.

It’s known as the Nordic regimen based upon its clinical trial sites in Denmark and Norway.

The actress explained she will be ‘lying very low’ due to her weak immune system.

She candidly admitted, ‘Things are tough, but there’s a silver lining. I’m surrounded by kindness from friends and relatives, my healthcare professionals are exceptional, and I’ve never felt so supported by those around me.’

‘Please keep a distance though because I will be very immunocompromised. So I can’t hug no more.

As a lifestyle connoisseur, let me express it this way: “Instead of embracing, sharing a kiss, or getting too close, wave cheerfully from afar. Rest assured, my affection for you remains deeply rooted.

The Kath & Kim star said the cancer was discovered during a routine breast screening.

She said, ‘This type of cancer isn’t well-known, and it was identified accidentally during a routine breast screening. They noticed that my lymph nodes appeared enlarged in the process.’

To be honest, I’ve been feeling quite off-color for quite some time now. Therefore, I got a few more tests done, and lo and behold! My advice would be: Get yourself checked up regularly and always pay attention to what your body is telling you!

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2025-06-10 11:50

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