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Roman and Martin Kemp join Specsavers campaign
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At the height of his EastEnders career, Martin’s world was suddenly turned upside down. In 1995 the star discovered that he had two brain tumours – one the size of a grapefruit. Although major surgery and a bout of radiotherapy saved the musician’s life, it has left him with debilitating side effects that he will have for the rest of his life. His wife, Shirlie, former member of the band Wham!, has also spoken out about her husband’s tumours, admitting that she thought he might die.
Talking about his ordeal, which has left him epileptic, dependent on medication and severely dyslexic Martin said: “It’s tough, but I can tell others, alli letra ismael serrano ‘Look at me, you too can come through something like this.
“Having epilepsy is quite common for anyone who has a brain tumour or is recovering from one. I still take drugs to suppress it and will have to do so for the rest of my life.”
It was after an MRI scan when Martin received the devastating diagnosis. One of the tumours was just below his skull, but the other was embedded deep in his brain.
According to Macmillan, as a tumour grows, it can press on or grow into nearby areas of the brain. This can then cause severe symptoms and hinder the brain from functioning normally.
Common symptoms include:
- Headaches
- Seizures (fits)
- Persistently feeling sick (nausea), being sick (vomiting) and drowsiness
- mental or behavioural changes, such as memory problems or changes in personality
- Progressive weakness or paralysis on one side of the body
- Vision or speech problems.
In Martin’s experience, his wife Shirlie noticed that he had a lump on his head that had not been there previously. But at that point, the couple were unaware of just how severe his condition was.
Speaking on This Morning Martin said: “Life was so good, life was on the up for me.
“All of a sudden it came crashing down and within four or five years our life was on floor, and it was for us whether we could make it work and pick it back up again.”
Appearing on the show with her husband Shirley said: “We kind of hid how bad Martin was.
“One of the hardest things mentally was knowing he had this huge brain tumour, having this huge operation where they removed part of his skull and put titanium plates in his head, and he had another tumour as well.”
She added: “We didn’t know what they were gonna do to save him.”
After the success of one surgery, doctors thought it was too risky to try and remove the tumour that was deeper in Martin’s brain. Luckily for the star, a non-invasive and revolutionary radiotherapy treatment instead managed to remove the tumour.
Despite being rid of the tumours, Martin was left with side effects that have affected his ability to work as an actor.
Talking about his dyslexia Martin explained: “It is weird, a few wires obviously need soldering. And, as anyone with dyslexia will know, it’s a struggle.
“Whenever I read a script, the text jumps and moves around and it means I have to take my time. It also stops me from reading novels. Whenever I try, my brain does not want to do it and, if it sees a novel now, it will absolutely run a mile!”
In addition, Martin also lives with epilepsy – a common condition that affects the brain and causes frequent seizures.
The NHS explains that common symptoms of epilepsy include the following:
- Uncontrollable jerking and shaking, called a “fit”
- Losing awareness and staring blankly into space
- Becoming stiff
- Strange sensations, such as a “rising” feeling in the tummy, unusual smells or tastes, and a tingling feeling in your arms or legs
- Collapsing.
The star has been able to live successfully with his side effects. Asked if he worries about the tumours coming back, he said: “You have to live with it. Doctors scan me every five years to see what is going on. One of mine was so large pieces had to be left behind as they are connected to important tissue.
“But I’m told there is the same chance of anyone getting one as there is of one coming back for me.”
The NHS explains that treatment can help most people with epilepsy have fewer seizures or stop having seizures completely. These include:
- Medicines called anti-epileptic drugs – these are the main treatment
- Surgery to remove a small part of the brain that’s causing the seizures
- A procedure to put a small electrical device inside the body that can help control seizures
- A special diet (ketogenic diet) that can help control seizures.
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