Antiques Roadshow expert Theo Burrell says she still struggles with the symptoms that led to her devastating brain tumor diagnosis in 2022.
Burrell, an Edinburgh-based ceramics expert, was adjusting to life as a new mother when she was diagnosed with shock after suffering a series of excruciating headaches, along with overwhelming exhaustion.
She was given a life expectancy of two years after doctors discovered an aggressive grade four glioblastoma, initially ruled out by her GP as a result of juggling motherhood with a busy work schedule.
Despite months of grueling treatment to shrink the tumor to just ten per cent of its original size, the TV personality, 36, has been told her cancer will return.
On Instagram on Wednesday, Burrell admitted that he was still struggling with many of his early symptoms, promoting fears of a possible resurgence.
Antiques Roadshow expert Theo Burrell told his Instagram followers that he still struggles with the symptoms that led to his devastating brain tumor diagnosis in 2022.
Burrell was given a life expectancy of two years after doctors discovered an aggressive grade four glioblastoma.
Captioning a photo of Pip, her pet Jack Russell, she wrote: “So my recent travels are definitely catching up to me. Don’t let my photos fool you, the fatigue, headaches, nausea and dizziness are still there.” , and when I’m tired these symptoms/side effects really make themselves known.
‘I spend many hours worrying about each and every one of these issues because, let’s face it, when you have cancer, you’re always thinking about growing back.
‘So if you know these feelings and live with this fear, know that you are not alone. And it’s not always a sign of something sinister, sometimes you’re just absolutely exhausted and carrying a lot on your shoulders.’
Speaking in 2023, Burrell admitted that he struggled to cope with the abrupt transition that came with his cancer diagnosis.
“Suddenly, I went from being a healthy person in the middle of my life with a new baby to having incurable cancer with maybe a year or two left to live,” she said.
‘Even though I continue to make the best of each day I can, my tumor will come back and kill me. My care has been excellent and new scientific advances have helped me so far.
“However, only by funding brain cancer research can we get closer to a life-saving cure.”
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common malignant brain tumor diagnosed in adults. It develops from glial cells, which are found in the brain and spinal cord. The cause is not known.
His first appearance on BBC Antiques Roadshow came in 2018 and he is a popular figure with fans.
Burrell, from Edinburgh, was adjusting to life as a new mother when she was diagnosed with shock.
Treatment usually involves surgery to remove as much of the tumor as possible without damaging healthy tissue; followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Glioblastomas always grow back.
In the UK each year, 16,000 people are diagnosed with a brain tumour, and only 12 per cent survive more than five years, compared to an average of 54 per cent for all cancers.
Burrell graduated from the University of Glasgow with a master’s degree in history and then a master’s degree in decorative arts.
The antiques expert has been working at Edinburgh-based Lyon & Turnbull since 2011, although her career at the auctioneers began in her teens, where she spent summers working as a member of the observation staff.
He specializes in European ceramics and glass, fine furniture and decorative artwork from the 1860s, tribal art and taxidermy.
His first appearance on Antiques Roadshow came in 2018. He previously described his “dream find” as a “beautiful and rare” 16th-century majolica plate by Italian ceramist Francesco Xanto Avelli.