'Every day I'm in an oxygen chamber' – Chris Kamara opens up on speech condition and how he was in denial for 20 months | The Sun
FORMER Sky Sports football pundit Chris Kamara has opened up about his health battle with the condition apraxia of speech.
The 64-year-old revealed earlier this year that he was suffering with the illness – which causes a disconnect between the voice and the brain.
Soon after the condition emerged he left Sky Sports, ending his 24 year association with the broadcaster – with the 2022/23 campaign the first time he has not been involved in their football coverage for nearly a quarter of a century.
He is now continuing to battle the condition, but admits that for a long time he did not acknowledge what he was living with.
Speaking to The Mail, he said: "I was in total denial.
"I did not want to accept it, but I'm no fool. Twitter, family, colleagues, when they're all saying, 'Are you alright? What's the matter with you?'
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"Eventually, you think, 'I'm going to have to face this'
"I didn't want to. I thought I could hide it. Now, people tell me they knew there was something wrong, and I thought I was masking it.
"It was my therapist who said to me, the day I accept my condition is the day I will start healing. It took me a good 20 months to do that."
Kamara is fighting hard to overcome the condition.
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He has revealed a daily oxygen chamber is required as part of his recovery.
"Today is a good day, no bother," he said. "But, every time I think I've beaten it, it comes back to bite me. Patience is a virtue.
"Every day, I'm sitting in an oxygen chamber with hyperbaric treatment.
"I have microcurrents going through my body for seven hours. Everyone wants a quick fix, but it has to be done slowly."
Kamara is currently recording his new BBC show, Kammy & Ben's Proper Football Podcast, alongside presenter Ben Shephard.
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