Admitting that life has given you something you didn’t anticipate or ask for requires a certain kind of quiet bravery. Ita Buttrose, the woman who ran some of Australia’s most important publications, walked into rooms in amazing heels, and shaped Australian media for decades, recently sat in front of a television audience and uttered three words that most people her age are afraid to say aloud: “I can’t walk.”
In contrast to most celebrity health disclosures, that moment, which was aired on A Current Affair in late October 2025, landed differently. Vulnerability was not being performed by Buttrose. She wasn’t presenting a polished, gentle version of a challenging reality. She was just being honest, as she always has, with the characteristic directness that has made her one of the most identifiable figures in Australian journalism over the past 60 years.
Frozen gait disorder, a neurological condition that impairs the brain’s ability to coordinate movement, especially walking, is the diagnosis behind those words. It is one of the harshest things that can happen to someone who has built their entire identity around forward momentum, and it is frequently linked to Parkinson’s disease. Buttrose’s symptoms started to appear following back surgery in 2021, when what should have been a simple recovery became much more difficult. Once-automatic steps became unclear, then challenging, and finally something that completely required outside assistance.
It’s possible that the emotional candor surrounding her story—rather than the medical details—is what most impresses people. She acknowledged that she was upset. “Why me?” she acknowledged, asking. In an almost unexpected admission considering her public persona, she acknowledged that she had experienced embarrassment when using a wheelchair. “All my pride,” she explained, describing her embarrassment. “I used to have quite a shapely leg, and I used to wear lovely shoes.” That statement has weight coming from Buttrose. This woman has projected competence, confidence, and control throughout her career. “Dependency is a very difficult adjustment,” she stated bluntly.
As this develops, it seems like Buttrose is doing something subtly significant: modeling what it truly looks like to age in public without acting as though it’s effortless. When health issues arise, a lot of her generation’s public figures either vanish or only reappear after their recuperation is finished and the narrative has a neat conclusion. Buttrose isn’t doing either. She continues to promote her twelfth book, make television appearances, and discuss her limitations without dressing it up.
The condition known as frozen gait is more prevalent than most people realize, especially in older adults, but it is still not well understood outside of the medical community. It often coexists with other neurological changes and can manifest abruptly or gradually. Buttrose’s journey from back surgery to wheelchair took several years, and before anyone could identify what was going on, it must have involved a lengthy series of tests and consultations. Long distances without assistance are no longer feasible, and the wheelchair has evolved into a practical necessity rather than a sign of defeat, according to her direct description of the condition.
It’s important to note that Buttrose has experience with the nexus between public life and health. She has been a devoted supporter of the Macular Disease Foundation Australia for many years. Her advocacy role stems from her own experience; her father Charles suffered from age-related macular degeneration, and she has spoken poignantly about being his primary caregiver during his illness. To save her uncle Gerald’s vision, she saw early warning signs in him and encouraged him to seek treatment. Buttrose has never considered health to be an abstract concept.
The most obvious thing that emerges from her recent interviews is that she has reached a certain level of acceptance, albeit not easily. It’s not resignation; there is a difference, and she appears to recognize it. “This is the way it is,” she has stated. She counts her blessings. She continues to be active. She continues to write. She is dealing with a condition that has stolen something genuine and priceless from her at the age of 83, after building one of the most impressive careers in Australian media history, and she isn’t pretending it doesn’t hurt. That seems like a kind of leadership in and of itself.
FAQs
1. What illness does Ita Buttrose have?
She has frozen gait disorder, a neurological condition linked to Parkinson’s disease.
2. When did Ita Buttrose’s symptoms begin?
Symptoms appeared after her back surgery in 2021.
3. Can Ita Buttrose still walk?
She cannot walk long distances without support and uses a wheelchair.
4. How old is Ita Buttrose?
She is 83, born on 17 January 1942.
5. Is Ita Buttrose still working despite her condition?
Yes — she recently published her twelfth book, Unapologetically Ita.