Aussie radio star Ali Clarke breaks down over cancer diagnosis

Adelaide radio host Ali Clarke broke down in tears as she told listeners she’d recently received a devastating diagnosis.

An Adelaide radio host broke down in tears on Tuesday morning as she announced to listeners that she had been diagnosed with cancer.

Speaking on her Mix 102.3 breakfast show, Ali Clarke said, “I’m genuinely not even sure how to say it so I’ll just blurt it out, a few weeks ago I was diagnosed with bloody breast cancer.”

Clarke said that if everything goes well it’s unlikely she will need chemo, but said radiotherapy is still a possibility.

“I thought it was very small and manageable, but they found quite a lot of small little cancers,” she continued.

“That means that I’ll be going in for some pretty big surgery later this week and I’ll have to take some time off to recover.

“The long and the short of it means that I am going to have a full mastectomy, which if you’re playing at home, that means they’re taking one of my boobs.”

Ali Clarke's on Mix 102.3.

Ali with her radio co-host, Max Burford Picture: Tom Huntley

The mum of three, who is married to AFLW coach Matthew Clarke, told listeners she had been struggling with the thought of having a breast removed.

“I’ve really battled with myself between being angry at myself for almost feeling vain about losing a part of me,” she said.

“But when I sit back and try to reason with it, I’m about to lose a part of me that society has forever told me actually makes me a woman.”

Tears rolled down Clarke’s cheeks as she admitted she had even thought about the effect the mastectomy would have on her relationship.

“At 2 o’clock in the morning you do feel pretty lonely, even when I’m lying next to my husband and wondering if he’s going to still find me, you know (attractive),” she said, as her voice trailed off.

Ali Clarke with her family in 2023. Picture: Kelly Barnes

Ultimately, Clarke said she is aware the operation is “absolutely necessary”.

“The biggest part of my brain knows that this is really what needs to happen for me to be good,” she said.

Clarke also revealed on air how she broke to news to her children who are aged 14, 12 and 9.

“So, we’ve sat them down and Matt (husband) and I are standing there in front of the kids, and I just said, ‘look, we’re going to have a conversation and it’s going to sound really scary to start with, but it’s not, so just hang in there.’

“The middle child’s gone, ‘you’re getting divorced!’ And then I’ve gone, ‘no.’ And then the youngest child’s gone, ‘we’re broke!’ And I said, ‘no.’ And then the eldest child’s gone, ‘you’ve got cancer!’ And I’m like, ‘well …’

“At which point she’s bursted into tears and gone, ‘I know I’m always right but I really didn’t want to be right that time!’”

Clarke was inundated with calls of support from listeners after her on-air admission.

“Just know that we really love you and we send you all our strength and support,” one caller said. “You’ve got this.”

Originally published as Aussie radio star Ali Clarke breaks down over cancer diagnosis