Ali Clarke back on Mix 102.3 following breast cancer surgery

Ali Clarke’s made a guest appearance on Mix 102.3, for an update on her breast cancer battle just days after having major surgery.

Following Ali Clarke’s guest spot on Mix 102.3 after undergoing a mastectomy, her husband has also returned to work, while still having her back.

Crows AFLW senior Coach Matthew Clarke took time away from the club last week after his radio presenter wife announced on-air she had breast cancer.

Mix 102.3's Max Burford, Hayley Pearson and Ali Clarke. Picture: Supplied

Four days after having her surgery, Ali was heard on the Max and Ali in the Morning show.

Just after 7am on Tuesday, she chatted to her co-host Max Burford and Hayley Pearson, who is keeping her seat warm.

The radio spot – by phone – comes a week after Clarke stunned listeners by revealing on-air that she was battling breast cancer and was to undergo a mastectomy on Friday.

Following Ali’s update on Mix, Matthew was speaking at a Crows press conference Tuesday afternoon when he was asked how she was.

“It’s been amazing in terms of the level of support,” he said.

“She’s been incredibly brave and everything’s going really well, as well as it could be hoped for.

“She’s amazingly appreciative of all the support she’s received and similar with myself, it’s been really touching.

“But as we’ve quickly discovered there are a lot of other people going through similar circumstances.”

Mathew does not expect to need to step away anymore this pre-season.

Talking on Mix, Ali, who is a mum-of-three, said her surgery had taken a couple of hours.

“The doctor says it all went so well and so amazingly, so much so, that I’m actually home now,” Clarke said, also joking: “The kids can fight over not looking after me.”

Talking about how she had sent jokes from her hospital bed, Clarke said, laughing: “I was completely lit on some of the (post-surgery) drugs.”

On July 23, Mix 102.3’s Ali Clarke revealed to listeners that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Picture: Supplied

Ali Clarke in hospital after her breast cancer surgery. Picture: Instagram

Then the conversation became more serious.

Pearson asked: “Have you been able to have a look at it yet? Or was it all wrapped up?” Clarke replied: “We’re all wrapped up but … it wasn’t as confronting as I think I had it in my mind.”

She added: “My biggest relief, actually, was when the kids came in and I asked them if they wanted to have a look and they all said yes, and they didn’t – I know that sounds ridiculous but – they didn’t recoil.”

Clarke also spoke about her emotional state.

“I’m definitely up and down,” she admitted, also saying about the mastectomy: “It’s gone, which is just such a relief. You wake up and you go ‘man, these incredible doctors and scientists and medicos, you know, they know the best thing to do. This is what I’ve had to do to get better’.”

Ali Clarke at her home in June 2023. Picture: Kelly Barnes

Asked by Max what they should tell people who ask if she has beaten cancer, Clarke said it was too early to know.

“All the stuff they’ve taken out of you has to go and get examined,” she said.

“So I’ve got a few more days of that and then, once we know, that will determine what happens next – if it’s more treatment, or if I can then say ‘hey, I’ve beaten it’ and then we get on getting better.”

Clarke also thanked everyone – including listeners and those who had also been affected by breast cancer – for their support.

Her announcement, a week ago, that she had breast cancer resulted in an immediate uptick to the number of women contacting BreastScreen for scans. By midnight there had been 779 bookings, compared to the usual average of 350 per day.

Clarke has also shared some of her journey on social media, posting a photo of herself taken in her hospital gown following her operation.

It is not known when Clarke will return to work full-time, but she is expected to pop up again on Max and Ali in the Mornings.

Originally published as Ali Clarke back on Mix 102.3 following breast cancer surgery