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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Entertainment
Katie Gallagher

Martin King and wife Jenny McCarthy's 'best news' after brain tumour surgery as 'hero' doctor worried it could affect her speech

Jenny McCarthy revealed she has received the ‘best news’ about her brain tumour surgery, after her doctor worried it could affect her speech.

The celebrity photographer and wife of Virgin Media host Martin King had a brain tumour removed earlier this year, after having previously had a similar surgery in 2011.

Back in action shooting back to back weddings and baby photoshoots, she said she is feeling great.

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But she admits it has been a tough road to recovery.

Jenny told RSVP Magazine: "I am feeling good. I am absolutely fine during the day but I find I am much more tired in the evening than I would have been previously. The surgery was quite recent so I hope that gets better.

"It was a benign brain tumour but there was talk of me having to get radiotherapy and chemotherapy. When it had grown, it was beside where the last tumour was, very close to the speech and language area in my brain.

Jenny McCarthy and husband Martin King (Instagram/Jenny McCarthy)

"Martin and I went back to see the surgeon in March and I knew from him that he was going to say something that I didn’t want to hear.

"He said that he couldn’t guarantee that if the tumour came back that it wouldn’t affect my speech the next time.

"He was 50/50 on what to do so he decided to do another scan at the end of April. I didn’t say this to anyone until now and I was just going to and from work filling the days until I got the scan. My hair probably would have fallen out because of the treatment on my hair."

The worrying scan took place in the busy same timeframe that she welcomed her granddaughter, Mia, and turned 50 in May.

She said: "Mia was born on May 4, I was 50 on May 6, we had a little garden party on May 7 and I had the scan on May 9. All weekend I was thinking about the scan and once it was over the surgeon got back to me and said he was delighted with the results.

"I won’t need anymore therapy, but I will have to get scanned much more regularly in the future. I am absolutely delighted, it was the best news I could get,” she added.

"I feel like one of the lucky ones, there are a lot of people who get brain tumours who are not so lucky."

Jenny praised the staff of Beaumont Hospital for looking after her so well and hailed her doctor as a ‘god’.

“People talk about believing in God, I don’t go to mass but Martin goes every Sunday, and I think my surgeon Ciaran Bolger is God. He is God to me."

Her husband Martin added: "He was given a great gift by God. In my books, he is an absolute hero."

Six O’Clock show host Martin went on to open up about how difficult he found it not being able to go into the hospital to care for his wife at the time due to Covid restrictions.

"It was a killer because I was able to be there the last time. Part of me thinks that is why Jenny was allowed home a few days earlier.

"The only people she could depend on in the hospital were the staff, and they are working to full tilt as it is. She went in, the surgery happened and I didn’t see her until she came home."

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