TV presenter forced to change career as near-fatal brain tumour left her 'unable to get words out'
A former fitness TV presenter had to change her career after doctors found a tumour in her brain that affected her speech and left her facing death.
Nicci Roscoe was told by doctors that she would have to have surgery to remove the tumour in her brain or she would become a ‘vegetable’ within years, and eventually die.
However, she’s still here 22 years later and obviously glad about that, having successfully undergone the surgery and managing to resume her life.
She still suffers with some symptoms, but it’s definitely better than the alternative.
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Back in the 1990s, Nicci was on a variety of different TV channels, including BBC, GMTV on ITV and Sky.
The companies employed her as a fitness expert and she could often be seen performing aerobics for the show, as well as working as the head of aerobics for the David Lloyd Clubs gym.
Everything changed when she was on the radio and found herself struggling with her speech..
Speaking to OK!, she said: “I was on my regular slot on Viva Radio when I would occasionally utter a different word to the one I wanted to say.
“It was a very strange feeling and quite frightening not being able to get out the words I wanted.”
After being initially diagnosed with stress, the real problem was found in 2001 after a brain scan.
When she was immobilised by pain in the supermarket, it seemed as if further explanations were needed.
Nicci continued: "The next day I was sitting in the neurosurgeon's office and he told me I had a golf ball sized benign tumour that was deeply embedded in my brain.
"It was near the parts of my brain that controlled speech, balance, co-ordination, and memory.
“My neurosurgeon said if I didn't have the tumour removed it would continue to grow and I would be like a vegetable within two years and dead within five."
After an operation, Nicci had the tumour successfully removed, but left with bolts and screws in her head.
She still suffers with some pain, but is just happy to be alive decades later.
"I like to joke that I have a screw loose but I am so grateful to be alive and I wouldn't change what happened to me because I have such a wonderful awareness now of how every moment counts,” she said.
“I scaled back my TV career and switched my focus to healing and holistic techniques like mindfulness, visualisation, reiki and positive self-talk.
Nicci is now a Life Coach and a Master NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) Practitioner, running her own company spreading awareness of alternative health treatments, as well as explaining her own journey.
“Unfortunately having a brain tumour stopped my dreams of a long-lasting TV career, but I hope there is still time to reach wider audiences and share everything I have learned again,” she concluded.
Topics: UK News, Celebrity, TV and Film, Health
Tom Wood