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Australian television presenter Fiona MacDonald, known for Wombat and It’s a Knockout, was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND) in November 2021. She later spoke publicly about the diagnosis and travelled around Australia with her sister to raise money for MND research and awareness. MacDonald died aged 67 in October 2024.
Who was Fiona MacDonald?
MacDonald was an Australian television presenter whose best-known work included the children’s program Wombat and the game show It’s a Knockout. Her career on television made her familiar to audiences well before she shared news of her illness. ABC News reported her death and career background on October 3, 2024.
When was Fiona MacDonald diagnosed with MND?
ABC Australian Story reports that MacDonald received her MND diagnosis in November 2021. Her family recalled noticing changes beforehand, including slurred speech and tripping. Medical tests followed before the diagnosis; the account does not identify a specific test or provide a detailed clinical timeline. ABC Australian Story’s 2023 account describes the diagnosis and early signs.
MacDonald initially withdrew after learning she had a terminal disease, according to the program. Her diagnosis was not announced as a recent event: she died three years later, in October 2024.
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How did MacDonald respond to the diagnosis?
With her sister, Kylie Thynne, MacDonald set out on a road trip around Australia to raise money for MND research and increase awareness. The journey also gave her a way to spend time with family and find purpose after the diagnosis. In the 2024 retrospective, she described the idea this way: “That’s when I thought of driving around Australia to raise money for research into MND.” ABC Australian Story included her account in its October 28, 2024 remembrance.
What did Fiona MacDonald say about losing her speech?
In the ABC interview, MacDonald said she had recorded her voice before she lost the ability to speak, and that the voice was later computer-generated: “Before I lost the ability to speak I recorded my voice, which is now computer-generated.” The reporting does not name the device, software or brand involved, so it cannot establish which communication setup she used.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What happened to Fiona MacDonald?
MacDonald died aged 67 in October 2024, after living with MND for about three years following her November 2021 diagnosis. ABC News reported her death on October 3, 2024. Read ABC News’ report.
In a 2023 Australian Story program, neurologist Professor Dominic Rowe said MND “kills you, on average, 27 months after diagnosis.” That was Rowe’s general statement in that program, not a prediction about MacDonald or a current survival statistic; it should not be used to infer an individual prognosis.
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