Magda Szubanski’s Mantle Cell Lymphoma Diagnosis: Health History Details Emerge

Magda Szubanski’s stage four cancer diagnosis marks yet another chapter in the former face of Jenny Craig’s ongoing – and very public – health battles. 

The Australian comedian, 64, announced on Thursday she is battling Mantle Cell Lymphoma (MCL) – a ‘very rare’ form of blood cancer – in a video posted to social media. 

‘It is one of the nasty ones, unfortunately,’ the iconic Kath and Kim actress said, her head shaven in anticipation of chemotherapy treatment. 

‘But the good thing is, I’m surrounded by beautiful friends and family and an incredible medical support team.’

MCL is an aggressive form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma – a cancer that starts in the lymphatic system. 

Around 70 per cent of MCL patients are diagnosed at stage 4. While it’s an advanced stage, treatment can be effective, and many patients live for years after diagnosis.

There is no known cure, but treatment can put the disease into remission. The cancer was discovered ‘incidentally’ during a breast screen, Magda said. 

Magda said she had been feeling ‘pretty rats*** for ages’ prior to diagnosis. 

‘I asked for extra bloods and – voila – so the take away is – get tested and listen to your body.’

Magda said she is getting one of the best treatments available for her cancer, known as the Nordic protocol, a new type of treatment that combines chemo with immunotherapy. 

This marks another chapter in Magda’s long and public journey with health issues – having been a face of one of the country’s former best known weight loss brands, Jenny Craig, and more recently, starred in an ABC TV show, Magda’s Big National Health Check. 

Magda has previously spoken about living with osteoarthritis, autoimmune arthritis, sleep apnoea, and migraines.

In addition to her physical health, the comedian has been a vocal advocate for mental health awareness, candidly sharing her experiences with anxiety.

In a powerful essay for the ABC in 2022, Magda opened up about her lifelong struggle with weight and the harmful impact dieting had on her.

‘We’ve all done the diets, and the statistics are dire — only a tiny minority of people manage to keep the weight off,’ the 61-year-old wrote.

Magda insisted that diets have done nothing but disrupt her metabolism, making it even harder to control her weight.

‘I’ve had doctors say really awful things to me in the past, like ‘you need to lose weight’ and I’ll say, ‘what do you suggest I do?’ And they say: ‘Eat less, move more’.

‘That’s not even true, now there’s much more understanding of the complex endocrinology for overweight people — there can be a lot going on.’

Magda lost 30kg as the face of Jenny Craig between 2009 and 2011, later re-signing with the company in 2014 only to part ways once again six months later.  

Magda learned during her ABC show that she was pre-diabetic – a condition where blood sugar levels are elevated but not high enough for a type 2 diabetes diagnosis.

Pre-diabetes is a condition where blood glucose levels are higher than normal, though not high enough to constitute a type 2 diabetes diagnosis.

By 2023, she celebrated a major milestone in her fight against diabetes. ‘Have got my Hba1c out of pre-diabetes and back in the normal range,’ she said.

After the show’s filming she said she took her health more seriously.

‘I started taking my chronic health conditions more seriously, because I tend to just ride roughshod over them,’ she told the Scott Trust.

‘But I’m a long way down the path – I don’t know whether I can turn around or not, to be really honest. I certainly haven’t given up.’