The Apprentice's Karren Brady's horrifying health condition - 'could kill her at any minute'
The Apprentice's Karren Brady's horrifying health condition - 'could kill her at any minute'
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Karren Brady has been in the boardroom alongside Lord Sugar for 15 years, as she takes on her usual role for the show's 19th series this year. But away from the show, Karren has battled a private health issue that nearly took her life. The self-made billionaire opened up about her surprise diagnosis in 2006, revealing she had to undergo emergency brain surgery following a routine appointment. She told The Guardian: "The more you read on the internet, the worse it gets - you panic. I was terrified that I would die or have a stroke at any minute.".
Karren, 55, was reportedly given a 30 percent chance of dying by doctors after they discovered the brain aneurysm. "The only time I cried was looking at the brain aneurysm foundation website: it was so frightening," she said. Despite her fears, Baroness Brady was able to have a five-and-a-half-hour operation and following intensive care, she made a full recovery. “In the seven days between deciding on the treatment and having surgery, I was in such a state of shock. I felt a sort of sadness that it had happened to me - you do think, why me?,” she continued.
“I realised how fragile life was. What really scared me, though, was the thought of my children being without me.” Karren shares two children with her husband Paul Peschisolido - Sophia and Paolo. "It was just fate that I decided to go for a health screening, and I am incredibly grateful I did," Karren said. Now, Karren faces brain scans for the rest of her life to ensure the aneurysm doesn't reopen.
The health scare changed her perception of life, bringing her closer to her children. She added: "Initially, I did think I should spend more time with my children - you just want to gather them up - but for two months after the operation I was working from home and realised I didn't see more of them anyway. "Still, there will never be a time again when I choose a board meeting over a sports day. I have been back in the office for three weeks now and feel really well - my mortality is back in my own hands.".
Season 19 of The Apprentice is in full swing with 18 new candidates ready to prove that they have what it takes to win the staggering £250,000 investment for their business as well as mentorship from Lord Sugar himself. For the next 12 weeks, BBC fans will see the entrepreneurs be put through their paces in a series of business-focussed tasks with the group dwindling every week until the grand finale in April.
