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The Summit star Simmone’s medical drama

The Summit contestant reveals a ‘scary’ diagnosis
The Summit star Simmone in front of a lake

When Simmone Jade Mackinnon’s postman asked, “Is it cancer?” she knew she had to publicly discuss her health issues before rumours took over.

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The actress, best known for her role as Stevie Hall-Ryan in McLeod’s Daughters, had gone from having a full head of dreadlocks to losing her hair, eyelashes and eyebrows after her father became sick, her niece was in a “horrific accident” and she started a tricky business venture.

All that relentless pressure resulted in a diagnosis of stress alopecia.

“It was scary,” confesses Simmone, 51. “No one I knew had lost their hair from stress. Once I came out and said it online though, I realised I wasn’t alone.”

That’s not the only health issue the star, who was engaged to her Baywatch Hawaii co-star Jason Momoa for two years, has faced.

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Simmone with her son Madigan
Son Madigan’s going to see his mum out of her comfort zone.

“I also suffer from panic attacks,” reveals Simmone, who lives in Coffs Harbour, four hours south of Brisbane. “I had massive ones on the set of McLeod’s. Since starting a business, living off my credit card, being a single parent and living rural, it’s been hard.”

Simmone has made sure her son Madigan, 14, has never seen one of her panic attacks. However, he may see some on the second season of Aussie reality series The Summit, which was filmed in New Zealand’s Southern Alps.

“I was on the side of a mountain with 13 strangers,” she says. “The fear of having an attack then and there with cameras around was a bit of a monster.

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“It’s probably going to be equal parts cool and embarrassing for Madigan. He’s at that age. I’ve tried to get him to watch McLeod’s, but he said, ‘Can we watch The Walking Dead instead?’”

The Summit screens 7pm Wednesdays and Thursdays on TVNZ 2, streaming on TVNZ+.

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