{"id":100565,"date":"2023-11-03T12:49:57","date_gmt":"2023-11-03T12:49:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebritycovernews.com\/?p=100565"},"modified":"2023-11-03T12:49:57","modified_gmt":"2023-11-03T12:49:57","slug":"brave-ex-liverpool-and-leeds-star-opens-up-on-having-brain-tumour-while-playing-and-recovery-from-life-saving-operation-the-sun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebritycovernews.com\/sport\/brave-ex-liverpool-and-leeds-star-opens-up-on-having-brain-tumour-while-playing-and-recovery-from-life-saving-operation-the-sun\/","title":{"rendered":"Brave ex-Liverpool and Leeds star opens up on having brain tumour while PLAYING and recovery from life-saving operation | The Sun"},"content":{"rendered":"

DOMINIC MATTEO has bravely opened up on the brain tumour which nearly cost him his life.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The former Leeds United and Liverpool defender was diagnosed with a rare cancerous tumour in 2019 after suffering from persistent headaches.<\/p>\n


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Matteo was immediately referred to Leeds General Infirmary after the diagnosis, but his condition worsened.<\/p>\n

The former Scotland international suffered a seizure due to the immense pressure being put on his brain.<\/p>\n

And doctors had no choice but to perform emergency surgery to remove the tumour – from which he is still recovering.<\/p>\n

Now, Matteo – who hung up his boots in 2009 – has revealed doctors informed him the tumour had most likely already formed while he was still playing.<\/p>\n

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Recalling the ordeal to the BBC, Matteo, 49, said: "You can't believe it, can you?<\/p>\n

"Obviously you get told what it is and it's been a childhood cancer and you've probably played your whole career with a brain tumour in your head."<\/p>\n

Now that he's out of the woods, Matteo feels comfortable enough to crack some light-hearted jokes about the ordeal.<\/p>\n

He continued: "I might have been a better player mightn't I?"<\/p>\n

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6<\/span>
Dominic Matteo's head after surgery<\/span>Credit: BBC<\/span><\/figcaption>

Matteo's family were held together during the difficult time by wife Jessica.<\/p>\n

Recalling her husband's illness, she said: "It started off with headaches and a little bit of blurred vision.<\/p>\n

"And within 48 hours, Dom was blind. He had a massive seizure, he was in a wheelchair and he had very little speech."<\/p>\n

She told the Daily Mail last year: "Dom's surgeon Ryan Mathew took him down to theatre at 5.15pm and told me to go home to try to get some sleep.<\/p>\n

"But I didn't sleep a wink. I perched on the edge of my bed waiting for the phone call, which finally came at 3am, after Dom had been in theatre for almost 10 hours.<\/p>\n

"It seemed like an eternity, but it was the best phone call of my life.<\/p>\n

"Ryan said he'd removed 90-95 per cent of Dom's tumour and that he was doing really well.<\/p>\n

"He said he was sorry that he may have lost the sight in Dom's right eye. <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

"But I was overwhelmed with relief and gratitude that he was OK."<\/p>\n

Matteo's arduous, and still ongoing recovery, has included having to relearn how to read and write.<\/p>\n

He has come a long way and admits he's still not fully processed the life-changing ordeal.<\/p>\n

Matteo said: "It was so surreal, really.<\/p>\n

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"Because, like you say, you go from working doing TV or, you know, and the next thing you know you're fighting for your life.<\/p>\n

"I think when I look back and look back at the photos of the surgery you're going through, you're llke, 'Wow.'"<\/p>\n

Source: Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

DOMINIC MATTEO has bravely opened up on the brain tumour which nearly cost him his life. 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