Judith Lucy shares candid hospital photo after doctors changed her cancer treatment plan as she issues warning to Aussie women

Comedian Judith Lucy has shared a candid hospital photo capturing the moment she learned she would need a mastectomy following her shock breast cancer diagnosis.

The 58-year-old took to Facebook on Saturday to thank fans for their support while issuing an urgent warning to women about the importance of regular mammograms.

In the photo, Judith appeared in good spirits as she lay in a hospital bed, wrapped in a fluffy white dressing gown and blanket.

With her trademark grey curls swept back, the comedian flashed a peace sign and pulled an exaggerated open-mouthed smile for the camera. 

She added the cheeky caption 'Fun with cancer!', proving she hasn't lost her wicked sense of humour despite her health battle. 

'So this was me last Friday when I heard that it was now a mastectomy,' she said.

'And yes, it's a bit of a peekaboo shot so that's my breast waving goodbye guys!'

Judith went on to thank followers for their messages of support before stressing just how fortunate she was that her cancer had been detected during a routine screening.

'My jugs and I have been pretty overwhelmed by the response so THANK YOU and again, GET THEM CHECKED LADIES,' she said.

'You can't feel my cancer so without a mammogram I would have been screwed!'

The post comes just days after Judith revealed she had been diagnosed with breast cancer three weeks earlier and was preparing to undergo a double mastectomy.

The comedian broke the news in an Instagram video, explaining that the cancer had been discovered following a mammogram through BreastScreen Australia.

'On my way home, I got an email from BreastScreen Australia telling me that my mammogram result was a bit weird,' she said.

'I'm going to take this opportunity to say ladies, for the love of god, keep up with your mammograms. Anyway, long story short, I've got breast cancer.'

Judith explained she had initially expected to undergo a lumpectomy but further cancer was discovered during a subsequent medical appointment, forcing doctors to change their treatment plan.

'I didn't want to say anything about it until I knew what was going on,' she said.

'I went last Friday for a lumpectomy and a doctor, I'm not making this up, called Dr Fun (Dr. Pei Fun Kwan in Melbourne), found more cancer.

'So we have gone from a lumpectomy to a mastectomy, which I am having Friday week. I said, while you're there, let's get rid of the other one.'

Despite the diagnosis, Judith has continued to joke publicly about the upcoming surgery. 

She joked that she had enjoyed '40 years of large and spectacular breasts' and was now looking forward to a future without needing a bra.

'You had your chance fellas,' she quipped.

'So I think I'm quite fine with going bra-free for my last chapter, and my last chapter is going to be very long and healthy.'

Judith also reassured fans that doctors had described the cancer as relatively early-stage and non-aggressive.

'It is relatively early stages. It is also relatively non-aggressive,' she explained.

The diagnosis comes at a particularly ironic time for the comedian, who released her new wellness memoir, Well Well Well...: My Wellness Odyssey from Psychics to Psychedelics and Beyond, last Monday.

The book explores Judith's experiences with burnout, retirement from stand-up comedy and her often hilarious attempts to improve her physical and mental wellbeing through alternative therapies.

Addressing the unfortunate timing of its release, Judith joked that there was 'nothing like releasing a book about wellness as you're being diagnosed with breast cancer'.

She explained that the memoir was never intended to present her as a picture of perfect health, but instead explored the idea that there are no quick fixes to wellbeing.

Judith finished her announcement by reassuring fans that, although she was still processing the news, she remained optimistic about the future. 

'I'll be keeping you abreast of everything Australia. I really am okay. I mean, I'm in shock, but I'm okay,' she said.

Judith announced her retirement from stand-up comedy in 2022 after 35 years on the road, explaining that she had grown tired of constant touring and wanted to focus on other aspects of her life.

However, she returned to the stage in 2023 with a role in Samuel Beckett's Happy Days before appearing in the comedy production Menopausal Night Out in 2024.

The much-loved entertainer first rose to prominence on the ABC's The Late Show in 1993 before becoming a familiar face on Rove and The Weekly with Charlie Pickering.

Her comedy album King of the Road was also nominated for an ARIA Award in 1999.