Davina McCall Reveals End-of-Life Checklist After Brain Tumour Diagnosis
Davina McCall, the former Big Brother presenter, has revealed she created an end-of-life checklist after being diagnosed with a brain tumour during a routine health check. The diagnosis came as part of her menopause awareness campaign, when doctors discovered a growth on her brain that was initially deemed benign. However, a neurosurgeon delivered a stark warning: the tumour could be fatal if not operated on quickly.
Speaking at Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place Festival, McCall explained that the surgeon told her: “It’s a big tumour. It can’t grow anymore, or you’ll get water on the brain. If you’re on a plane, there would have to be an emergency landing.” This prompted her to prepare mentally and practically for the surgery.
Preparing for Surgery: The Checklist
McCall said she needed to “get my brain in the right place where I could be calm before the operation.” She focused on ensuring her children would be okay if she did not survive. “I had to make sure that my kids were going to be OK if I did not make it. That is all I really cared about. I knew my partner, Michael, would be OK as he is a whole person, but I was really worried about my kids,” she said.
She went into “forensic thinking about my children and where they were at in their lives, what stage they were at.” Despite her worries, she concluded: “I realised that they would be great, they would miss me, and I want to be with them, but they would be fine.” This realization allowed her to feel at peace: “I felt I could go to sleep on the operating table and know that they were all here to help me, but I can let go of the outcome, and it was the best gift.”
Life After the Tumour
McCall described the tumour journey as transformative. “I am not afraid of dying anymore. It was the biggest journey of my life. It was an amazing time,” she said. She added: “I have been on a massive life journey, and I have been through terrible struggles. That is where the learning comes from. If something really hard happens now, I know it is a good thing.”
The TV presenter underwent surgery to remove the tumour and has since spoken openly about the experience, emphasizing the importance of facing mortality and finding peace through preparation.
