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Davina McCall will undergo surgery for a brain tumour. (Image: Getty)
Davina McCall will have brain surgery after being diagnosed with a non-cancerous tumour. The TV presenter, 57, said the benign brain tumour, known as a colloid cyst, was found after she was offered a health check-up as part of her menopause advocacy work.
In a video on Instagram, she said: "A few months ago, I did a menopause talk for a company, and they offered me a health scan in return, which I thought I was going to ace, but it turned out I had a benign brain tumour called a colloid cyst, which is very rare, three in a million.
"And so I slightly put my head in the sand for a while, and then I saw quite a few neurosurgeons. I got lots of opinions, and I realised that I have to get it taken out."
McCall described it as a "big" tumour, 14 mm wide, adding: "It needs to come out, because if it grows, it would be bad."
She is having it removed through a craniotomy, a surgical procedure to temporarily remove part of the skull, and said she is in "good spirits".
Davina McCall has been supported by her partner Michael Douglas. (Image: Getty)
She said: "I'm going to be in hospital for about nine days, and then I'm going to be going home, but I'm going to be off my phone for a while. But I don't want you to worry about me. I'm doing that enough as it is.
"I am in a good space, and I have all the faith in the world in my surgeon and his team, and I am handing the reins over to him. He knows what he's doing."
According to the NHS, non-cancerous brain tumours are more common in people over the age of 50, and signs include headaches, blackouts, behavioural changes and loss of consciousness.
Common symptoms of increased pressure within the skull include:
- new, persistent headaches – which are sometimes worse in the morning or when bending over or coughing
- feeling sick all the time
- drowsiness
- vision problems – such as blurred vision, double vision, loss of part of the visual field (hemianopia), and temporary vision loss
- epileptic fits (seizures) – which may affect the whole body, or you may just have a twitch in one area
Davina McCall to have brain surgery to remove tumour
The NHS urges anyone with symptoms to see a GP. While it may be unlikely that you have a tumour, it's important to get these symptoms evaluated by a doctor so a cause can be found.
The Brain Tumour Charity has spoken out following Davina's announcement, sharing that they have been providing her with advice in the lead-up to her surgery.
A spokesperson for charity said: "Our Support Team has been providing Davina with information and reassurance - in confidence - in the lead up to her surgery.
"All of us at The Brain Tumour Charity wish her the best possible outcome for this procedure. As an inspiration to so many, we're grateful that Davina has chosen to raise awareness of this uniquely devastating disease.
"We are committed to funding pioneering research, campaigning for systemic change and offering support to all those whose lives are turned upside down by a brain tumour diagnosis."
For more information, visit here.
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Cancer signs and symptoms to look out for, according to the NHS
CHANGES IN BOWEL HABITS See your GP if you've noticed these changes and it's lasted for more than a few weeks: blood in your poo, diarrhoea or constipation for no obvious reason, a feeling of not having fully emptied your bowels after going to the toilet, and pain in your stomach (abdomen) or back passage (anus).
BLOATING See a GP if you've had bloating for three weeks or more.
LUMP IN YOUR BREAST See your GP if you notice a lump in your breast or if you have a lump that's rapidly increasing in size elsewhere on your body. Your GP will refer you to a specialist for tests if they think you may have cancer.
COUGHING, CHEST PAIN AND BREATHLESSNESS Contact your GP if you've had a cough for more than three weeks. Symptoms such as shortness of breath or chest pain may also be a sign of a severe (acute) condition, such as pneumonia. See your GP straight away if you experience these types of symptoms.
UNEXPLAINED WEIGHT LOSS You should also see your GP if you've lost a lot of weight over the last couple of months that cannot be explained by changes to your diet, exercise or stress.
BLEEDING You should also see your GP if you have any unexplained bleeding, such as blood in your urine, bleeding between periods, bleeding from your bottom, blood when you cough, and blood in your vomit.
MOLES See your GP if you have a mole that: changes shape or looks uneven, changes colour, gets darker or has more than two colours, starts itching, crusting, flaking or bleeding, or gets larger or more raised from the skin.
For more information, visit the NHS cancer page or for the latest cancer news, research updates and real life stories, visit Express Health.
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