May 4th 2024.
Martin Kemp opened up about his experiences with a brain tumour, revealing that he sees each passing month as a blessing. In a candid conversation with his son Roman Kemp on their podcast, "FFS! My Dad Is Martin Kemp", the Spandau Ballet star shared that he believes he has about 10 years left to live.
The topic of death arose during the episode, titled "death", as Roman, a radio presenter, asked his father how long he thinks he has left. Martin, 62, replied, "I'll be really honest with you, 10 years." Despite his son's pleas for him to be serious, Martin stood by his estimate, saying, "I don't know how long I've got left, but I will tell you, since I was 34 years old and went through that brain tumour scare, I spent two years of my life thinking I was going to die."
He continued, "And I think after that, everything else – every day, every year, every month that I've lived, every experience that I've had – has been a bonus." Martin shared that he had come to terms with his mortality during that time, and even though he was resigned to the fact that he might not have much time left, he was content with the incredible experiences he had already had in his life.
The former I'm A Celebrity star went on to say that he has done things that people dream about, such as being in a popular 80s rock band, flying around the world on private jets, and even sipping champagne at 8 in the morning. "I've lived the most incredible life," Martin said. "By the time I was 34 and thought I was going to die, I spent two years thinking about it. I was quite happy, I thought, if I go, you know what? What a life, and that was back then. So every year that I live, every month that I'm alive now is like a bonus."
In 1995, Martin was diagnosed with two benign brain tumours, one of which was the size of a grapefruit. He first shared his health scare on Piers Morgan's Life Stories in 2014, where he revealed that his wife, Shirlie, had discovered a lump on his head. After seeking medical advice, he found out about the mass growing in the middle of his brain. "If they'd never found this one growing out, they wouldn't have found the one in the middle until it was too late, and that was the one that would have killed me," Martin recalled.
He underwent surgery and radiotherapy to remove the tumours, but the experience left him with epilepsy. Martin explained that it is common for those who have had a brain tumour to develop epilepsy, and he now takes medication to control it. "I still take drugs to suppress it and will have to do so for the rest of my life," he shared.
Reflecting on his journey, Martin expressed gratitude for each month he gets to live and spend with his loved ones. He also encouraged anyone going through a health scare to cherish every moment and appreciate the blessings in their life.
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