Antiques Roadshow expert Theo Burrell issues major health update after being given two years to live following brain tumour diagnosis
Antiques Roadshow expert Theo Burrell says she is still struggling with the symptoms that led to her devastating brain tumor diagnosis in 2022.
Burrell, a ceramics expert from Edinburgh, was adjusting to life as a new mother when she was given the shock diagnosis after suffering a series of excruciating headaches, coupled with overwhelming exhaustion.
She was given a two-year life expectancy after doctors discovered an aggressive grade 4 glioblastoma – originally rejected by her GP due to juggling motherhood with a busy work schedule.
Despite months of grueling treatment to reduce the tumor to just ten percent of its original size, the TV personality, 36, has been told her cancer will return.
On Instagram on Wednesday, Burrell admitted that she was still struggling with many of her early symptoms, fueling fears of a possible regrowth.
Antiques Roadshow expert Theo Burrell has told Instagram followers she is still struggling with the symptoms that led to her devastating brain tumor diagnosis in 2022
Burrell was given a life expectancy of two years after doctors discovered an aggressive grade four glioblastoma
Alongside a photo of Pip, her pet Jack Russell, she wrote: ‘So my recent outings are definitely catching up with me – don’t let my pictures fool you, the tiredness, headaches, nausea and dizziness are all still there . , and when I’m tired, these symptoms/side effects really become apparent.
‘I spend many hours worrying about all these issues because, let’s face it, when you have cancer you’re always thinking about regrowth.
“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 ominous, sometimes you’re just completely exhausted and carrying a lot on your shoulders.’
During her 2023 speech, Burrell admitted that she struggled with the abrupt transition that came with her cancer diagnosis.
“Suddenly I had gone from a healthy person in the middle of my life with a new baby to an incurable cancer with maybe a year or two to live,” she said.
‘Although I continue to make the best of every day, my tumor will return and it will kill me. My care has been excellent and new developments in science have helped me so far.
‘But only by funding research into brain cancer can we get closer to a life-saving treatment.’
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common malignant brain tumor diagnosed in adults. It arises from glial cells, which are located in the brain and spinal cord. No cause is known.
Her first appearance on the BBC show Antiques Roadshow came in 2018 and she is a popular figure among fans
Burrell, from Edinburgh, was adjusting to life as a new mother when she was given the shock diagnosis
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 Britain, 16,000 people are diagnosed with a brain tumor each year, with only 12 percent surviving longer than five years, compared to an average of 54 percent for all cancers.
Burrell graduated from the University of Glasgow with an MA in History and subsequently an MLitt in Decorative Arts.
The antiques expert has worked at Lyon & Turnbull in Edinburgh since 2011, although her career with the auctioneers began in her teens, where she spent summers as a viewer assistant.
She specializes in European ceramics and glass, fine furniture and decorative arts from the 1860s, tribal art and taxidermy.
Her first appearance on Antiques Roadshow was in 2018. She previously described her “dream find” as a “beautiful and rare” 16th-century majolica dish by Italian ceramicist Francesco Xanto Avelli.