Kirsty Gallacher has opened up about her inoperable tumour and the ‘very dangerous’ surgery it would take to remove it.
The 49-year-old broadcaster appeared on Loose Women today, where she discussed her benign acoustic neuroma diagnosis.
Speaking toCharlene White, Jane Moore, Janet Street-Porter and Katie Piper on the ITV show,Kirsty described the tumour, which is located in the inner canal of her right ear.
Asked by Jane to describe her tumour, Kirsty said: ‘A couple of years ago, I literally woke up and I couldn’t really hear out of my right ear and I thought, “Oh, that’s a bit odd”.
‘I’d been flown the week before and thought it’s not popped, and went to the doctor and it was a medical emergency because obviously, it could be a brain tumour.
‘So, they were brilliant, they sent me straight to see a consultant. It took a while for them to work out what was going on because it was after Covid, but it is called an acoustic neuroma, which is a benign tumour that happens to many people. Don’t know why.’
Kirsty, who is the daughter of former Ryder Cup captain Bernard Gallacher, went on to explain how a surgery on her inner ear canal would be ‘very dangerous’ to operate on.
Instead, doctors have decided to opt for radiotherapy to shrink the tumour.
‘I’m having radiotherapy in November, I’m really nervous… It’s growing sadly,’ she added.
‘It’s dangerous because it’s pressing on the brain as well, it’s right by the brain… We hope that it might do the job, zap it. It’s quite straightforward.
‘I’m very lucky it’s benign, I’m very lucky that it’s not huge, but it’s the only way of managing it.’
As well as saying she was ‘very anxious’, Kirsty explained how she feels
She also said that if she is in an environment that is not great acoustically, she has to go home because ‘I can’t hear.’
She concluded by saying she is ‘hopeful’ that the radiotherapy will make her safe.
Earlier this month, Kirsty revealed how she ‘regrets’ taking part in Strictly Come Dancing.
The former Sky Sports presenter said she did not have the experience she hoped for in the 2015 series.
Discussing her time on the show, the 49-year-old said she ‘was not in the best place personally’ after divorcing her ex-husband, 48-year-old rugby union player Paul Sampson.
Loose Women airs on ITV1 and ITVX on weekdays at 12.30pm.
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