Celebrities send a healthy message

Question: What do the head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV, and the Australian comedian, Judith Lucy, have in common? 

Answer: They both recently went public about their medical conditions and the treatment they have received. 

And experts say that when well-known people talk about their illnesses, there can be a great benefit in terms of public health. 

A serious medical diagnosis can be frightening and isolating. Yet when a familiar figure talks honestly about illness, their openness can help others feel less alone, recognise warning signs, and make an appointment they might otherwise postpone. 

Pope Leo, 71, recently announced that doctors had found a small, localised nodule in his lung at an early stage. On 13 October, surgeons removed the lower lobe of his right lung, and tests confirmed pulmonary adenocarcinoma. 

The Vatican reported that the operation was successful and there were no complications, although further details about the cancer’s stage and any additional treatment were not immediately available.  

By speaking publicly before his operation, Pope Leo helped draw attention to the value of investigation and early diagnosis. Lung cancer does not only affect current smokers, and its outlook can vary considerably according to the cancer type and how far it has progressed when detected.  

In Australia, comedian and actor Magda Szubanski has also spoken candidly about cancer. She announced in May 2025 that she had stage four mantle cell lymphoma, a rare and fast-moving blood cancer. 

The condition was discovered after a routine breast screen showed enlarged lymph nodes. Because she had also been feeling unwell, she requested further blood tests and urged others to “get tested and listen to your body”.  

In February 2026, Szubanski, 65, announced that she had completed chemotherapy and was in remission. She carefully explained that remission was not the same as a cure, but said she hoped it would keep the cancer at bay for a long time. 

She also thanked her medical team and described the encouragement she received from the public as a “tsunami” of support. 

In the past few weeks, fellow comedian, Judith Lucy, 58, delivered an equally direct message after a routine mammogram led to a breast cancer diagnosis. She said the cancer had been detected at an early stage and was considered relatively non-aggressive. 

After initially undergoing a lumpectomy, she was advised that a mastectomy was required and decided to have both breasts removed. While using her characteristic humour to discuss the experience, telling fans she would "keep them abreast" of her condition, her central message was serious: women should keep up with their mammograms.  

These disclosures can have an effect far beyond news headlines. Research has found that a prominent person’s illness can become an unofficial public health campaign, generating conversations, visits to health information websites and changes in health behaviour. 

A review cited in the journal, Health Communication, found that people who feel an affinity with a public figure may be more likely to take action related to that person’s health disclosure.  

One well-documented example followed the disclosure by actress Angelina Jolie, 51, that she had undergone genetic testing and a preventive double mastectomy. Researchers subsequently found a rise in demand for BRCA genetic testing and related health services.

A word of caution 

However, one person’s experience is not a medical template for everybody. A public figure may have different risk factors, family history, and treatment options. 

Celebrity stories can provide a useful prompt, but decisions about screening and treatment should be made with qualified health professionals. 

Everybody's health journey is different, but early diagnosis is often key. 

The practical message is simple: do not ignore a screening invitation or a persistent change in your body. 

BreastScreen Australia offers free mammograms every two years to women over 40 and actively invites those aged 50 to 74. 

Many older Australians will also be familiar with the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program, via a test kit sent in the mail. 

Eligible Australians aged 50 to 70 with a significant smoking history can also access free low-dose CT scans through the National Lung Cancer Screening Program. 

Screening is intended for people without symptoms. Anyone who notices a persistent or unusual change should consult their GP rather than wait for the next routine screen. 

Cancer Council Australia advises that many symptoms will not be cancer, but persistent symptoms or worrying changes should always be checked.  

Well-known people cannot remove all the fear surrounding illness. But by replacing secrecy with honest conversation, they can challenge the stigma and remind thousands of others that seeking help is an act of hope, not something to fear.

Related reading: BBC, ABC, SBS, Department of Health