Heartbreaking Update: David Campbell Shares Emotional Insight into Close Friend Magda Szubanski’s Ongoing Battle with Stage 4 Cancer

Melbourne, Australia – January 8, 2026 – Beloved Australian entertainer David Campbell has moved fans to tears with a heartfelt update on his dear friend Magda Szubanski, as she continues her courageous fight against stage 4 Mantle Cell Lymphoma, a rare and aggressive blood cancer diagnosed in May 2025.

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In recent interviews, the Today Extra co-host and singer, whose family shares a deep bond with Szubanski – she is godmother to his 10-year-old daughter Betty – described how the national outpouring of love has been a lifeline for the Kath & Kim icon. “Magda is really receiving everyone’s goodwill,” Campbell told The Sydney Morning Herald in December 2025. “I think that’s the thing that’s been keeping her going. Certainly, she’s been getting it from our family, but also from the nation.”

Campbell, alongside his wife Lisa Hewitt, emphasised Szubanski’s remarkable resilience and humour amid gruelling treatment. “She’s not well, but she is surrounded by the most incredible doctors, particularly in Melbourne,” he shared, echoing what they’ve told their children in age-appropriate conversations. Yet it’s Magda’s spirit that shines through: “She laughs at everything. She laughs at us. She laughs at herself. And she made us laugh at the cancer with her,” Campbell said. “And they say laughter is the best medicine. It’s kind of true. It does make people feel better.”

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Szubanski, 64, first revealed her diagnosis in an emotional Instagram video on May 29, 2025, shaving her head in anticipation of chemotherapy side effects. “Lovelies. Well. Some not great news. I’ve been diagnosed with stage 4 Mantle Cell Lymphoma – a rare and fast-moving blood cancer,” she captioned the post. The cancer was discovered incidentally during a routine breast screening that detected swollen lymph nodes, after she had been feeling unwell for some time.

She has been undergoing the Nordic protocol – an intensive regimen combining chemotherapy and immunotherapy in phases to shrink tumours – considered one of the best available treatments. Throughout 2025, Szubanski provided periodic updates from hospital, often with her trademark wit despite the toll. In August, from her hospital bed, she shared: “Chemo is smackin’ me around right now,” but expressed profound gratitude for fan messages that lifted her spirits.

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In a tearful video in December, she thanked the “tsunami” of support: “When I go online and look at those messages, every time, my heart lifts. And I feel that much stronger to deal with the cancer. So thank you for the love that you are pouring my way – I really feel it.”

Highlights of her year included a virtual appearance at the 2025 Logies, where she was inducted into the Hall of Fame – insisting the honour was for her decades of work, not her illness – and delivering a moving, humorous speech that brought the audience to tears.

Hypothetically, as treatment intensifies into 2026, the physical and emotional challenges of stage 4 lymphoma – including fatigue, infection risks, and the uncertainty of a rare subtype – could weigh heavily. Yet friends like Campbell paint a picture of Magda drawing strength from connections, using humour as armour against the “nasty one,” as she called it.

Mantle Cell Lymphoma affects a small percentage of non-Hodgkin lymphoma cases, often presenting at advanced stages. While aggressive, modern protocols offer hope for extended remission and quality of life.

Campbell’s updates, shared during his hosting of Vision Australia’s Carols by Candlelight and podcasts, underscore the private pain behind Magda’s public bravery. Fans flooded social media with tears and support: “Magda is a national treasure,” “Her humour through this is inspiring,” “Sending all the love.”

Hypothetically, without the overwhelming goodwill Campbell describes – from family barbecues to nationwide messages – the battle might feel isolating. Instead, it fuels her: a reminder that Sharon Strzelecki’s creator remains a source of light, even in darkness.

As Australia enters 2026, Magda Szubanski’s journey continues – not with a tragic turn for the worse, but with the same fierce spirit that has defined her. Surrounded by world-class care, unbreakable friendships, and a nation’s love, she fights on, one laugh at a time.