Davina McCall has spoken emotionally about embracing the next chapter of her life after facing a series of health challenges. Last week, the 59-year-old revealed she had been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease, an umbrella term for conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels. The news came after Davina shared that she had received the "all clear" following surgery for breast cancer. The former Big Brother presenter also underwent an operation last year to have a benign brain tumour removed.
Embracing the 'second spring' of ageing
Despite the health challenges she has faced, Davina has continued to look ahead with optimism, embracing the opportunities that come with getting older. Speaking at Hello! Magazine's Power List party, which celebrated women living fulfilled and happy lives in their second act, the presenter said: "I once heard ageing called the second spring and I love that, because it's how I feel."
"I do feel like a bouncy lamb, getting more annoying as I get older," she added. "I also feel as though, by doing that, it's liberating other people. When I see other women behaving exactly how they want, I think, 'Oh I could do that'."
Reflecting on health struggles and gratitude
Appearing to reflect on her health struggles, Davina added: "I can't believe how lucky I am. Life is for living and you are all brilliant examples of women who are doing just that."
"Coming here, I get so over-excited because you infect me with your joy, your wisdom, your courage and your life. Life throws us challenges at this age, but life also gives you the tools to deal with it," she added.
Opening up about cardiovascular disease
Davina also opened up about her cardiovascular disease during an episode of her podcast, Begin Again, in a conversation with heart attack survivor Louise McGill. Highlighting the importance of women taking their cardiovascular health seriously, she said: "This is a very important conversation to have. Anyone can get sick and when I had my cancer experience, you just suddenly feel vulnerable in a way you weren't before. Once you've been ill, you think 'Oh, I thought I was invincible'."
Davina revealed she had been told she had high cholesterol before her diagnosis, explaining: "I had high cholesterol and had it for quite a long time. It was deemed I had good cholesterol and that offset the bad or something."
Since sharing her experience, she has urged others to take their health seriously, pay attention to potential symptoms and seek medical advice rather than dismissing their concerns. "If there's one takeaway today it's not to brush things off," she stressed.
What is cardiovascular disease?
According to the NHS, cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the name for a group of conditions that affect your heart and blood vessels. It can often be prevented by having a healthy lifestyle or taking medicines if you need them. Symptoms of cardiovascular disease will depend on the condition you have, and some conditions may not have any symptoms. For some people, the first sign that they have CVD may be having chest pain (angina), a heart attack or stroke. The NHS Health Check is a free check-up for people aged 40 to 74 to check the health of their heart and blood vessels, and it can tell you if you're at higher risk of getting CVD.
