Former Collingwood boss Jeff Browne says he is now in ‘deep remission’ and ‘firing’ after once being told his blood cancer was incurable.
Three years ago, the former Collingwood Football Club president stunned the football world when he confirmed he had been diagnosed with myeloma, a form of blood cancer that begins in the bone marrow.
At the time, he admitted the condition was ‘presently incurable’ and endured multiple rounds of chemotherapy while still leading the Magpies through their 2023 premiership season.
Now, in a dramatic turnaround, Browne says blood tests show he is disease negative following a combination antibody treatment he began late last year.
‘I’m in a deep remission and I’m firing. I feel the best I’ve ever felt and I’m at my peak right now, I’ve got so much to give. Feeling 100 per cent. You’ll have me around for a while,’ he told News Corp.
The 71-year-old attended the World Myeloma Conference in Toronto before starting an experimental drug combination including Teclistamab, which costs about $26,000 a month and is not yet widely available on the PBS.
Jeff Browne reveals he is in deep remission after once being told his cancer was incurable
Browne endured chemotherapy while leading the Magpies through their 2023 premiership triumph season
He began experimental antibody treatment after attending the World Myeloma Conference in Toronto
‘I started a combination of the antibodies in November last year and that was a little bit experimental but when I went to the World Myeloma Conference in Toronto, this specific combination was showing the best results in trials,’ Browne said.
‘After three months, blood tests are showing I’m disease negative, so it’s worked.’
Browne’s fight has evolved from personal battle to public mission. As chair of Myeloma Australia, he is now lobbying for broader access to Teclistamab and pushing for the word ‘cure’ to enter mainstream discussion around the disease.
‘We are for the first time in probably the last six to 12 months starting to use the word cure, whereas previously it was not part of the vernacular,’ he said.
‘Myeloma in itself costs the Australian health system more than $7bn annually. If we can find a cure we can take that sort of pressure off government coffers and the health system. It’s critically important.’
His optimism is a far cry from March 2024, when he revealed he had undergone six rounds of chemotherapy and was told the cancer was incurable. At the time, he defiantly declared the illness had ‘picked the wrong body to locate itself (in).’
Even during treatment, Browne refused to step back from football. He remained at the helm of Collingwood through their premiership campaign and later credited coach Craig McRae and the club’s playing group for their emotional support.
‘That is better than any drugs they can give me,’ Browne said previously of a boundary-line embrace from players during pre-season.
Costly drug Teclistamab is central to Browne’s recovery and costs $26,000 per month
He credits Collingwood players’ emotional support during treatment as better than any drugs
He stepped down from the presidency at the end of 2024 after completing his three-year term but has continued to stay involved in football circles and health advocacy.
He has also moved on from his bid to become AFL commission chairman, insisting he has no regrets.
‘The process was just too frustrating for me,’ he said.
Browne insists he always believed he would win the fight – the only question was how.
‘I knew I was going to beat it but it was a matter of how,’ he said.
‘The fact it’s worked so well for me, I’m hoping others will take it on.’
