Welsh actor Craig Russell began having severe headaches and memory blips (Pic: The Sun)
Welsh actor Craig Russell says he almost died due to a lime-sized brain tumour that was undetected and grew in his skull for more than a decade, ultimately deforming it. The 48-year-old Hollyoaks star said he first started having symptoms like memory loss, confusion, migraines, and brain fog in 2022. And as they deteriorated, his wife Kate urged Greg to see a doctor. Craig, known for his role in Netflix’s Queen Cleopatra, went blind in his left eye.
He also heard a “whooshing” sound emerge from the back of his head when producing a scream during filming for the movie Edge of Summer, which “nearly caused [him] to collapse”.
After intense investigations, a non-cancerous tumour – the size of a squashed lime – was found growing in his brain – so large that it was deforming his skull. “It stopped me in my tracks; I never thought it would happen to me,” said Craig, who lives in Cornwall.
According to the doctors, the tumour had been growing slowly for 15 years.
Craig then underwent risky surgery to get rid of the mass and rebuild damaged parts of his skull. “There was a very real chance I wouldn’t survive the operation because one little mistake and that’s it, or at best I could come out blind or have a stroke,” he said. However, post-surgery he suffered grave complications but has since recovered fully and has been able to finish his latest film – Protein.
What is a brain tumour?
A non-cancerous brain tumour, also known as a benign brain tumour, is a mass of cells that grows slowly and does not spread to other parts of the body. While they may not be cancerous, these tumours can still cause health problems due to their location and size, potentially compressing or damaging surrounding brain tissue.
According to doctors, meningiomas make up around 10-15 per cent of all brain tumours and are the most common type of benign brain tumour. They originate from the layer of tissue that surrounds your brain and spinal cord called the meninges, usually in middle-aged or older adults.
Signs and symptoms of brain tumours
A few signs and symptoms of brain tumours include:
- Changes to your vision
- Severe headaches
- Weakness
- Difficulty walking
- Balance issues
- Difficulty understanding or using language
- Memory issues
- Hearing issues
- Facial numbness or tingling
- Nausea and vomiting
- Confusion and disorientation
What causes brain tumours?
According to experts, brain tumours develop when certain genes on the chromosomes of a cell are damaged and no longer function properly, but they aren’t sure why this happens. The DNA in your chromosomes tells cells throughout your body what to do — it tells them when to grow, when to divide or multiply, and/or when to die.
When brain cell DNA changes, it gives your brain cells new instructions. Your body develops abnormal brain cells that grow and multiply faster than normal and sometimes live longer than normal. When that happens, the ever-growing crowd of abnormal cells takes over space in your brain.
In some cases, a person may be born with changes in one or more of these genes. Environmental factors, such as exposure to large amounts of radiation from X-rays or previous cancer treatment, may then lead to further damage.
