Chris Kamara has been open about his health battle with speech apraxia, but now he’s hopeful for a cure.
The 64-year-old former footballer recently revealed that a doctor has found an ‘amazing’ new cure for the condition.
Chris, who appears on Sunday’s Who Wants To Be A Millionaire (October 23) opposite host Jeremy Clarkson on ITV, stepped down from presenting earlier this year due to the condition.
Chris Kamara hopeful for speech apraxia cure
Former England player Chris opened up about his speech apraxia earlier this year.
The condition affects Chris’ speech daily, and he has previously revealed that on some days he slurs and others he can’t speak at all.
Earlier this year, the seasoned football TV star stepped down from his role at Sky due to the condition.
Apraxia is a motor speech disorder that makes it difficult to speak. It can make saying the right sounds and words difficult and can be observed as slurring.
It’s caused by damage to the parts of the brain that control how muscles move, leading to apraxia of speech.
There’s no reason why I can’t be cured.
However, now he’s been told there is hope for a cure.
The Soccer Saturday star revealed in a recent interview with The Sun: “I’ve just been introduced to the best neurologist in America and he said because I have good days, there’s no reason why I can’t be cured.
“I’ve sent off a load of blood tests and everything to America and I’m just waiting on the results.”
What treatments has he had?
The football star has previously tried many treatments in the UK to no avail.
Some of these are reported to include having microcurrents through his brain, using an oxygen tent, taking vitamins, undergoing hypnotherapy and seeing a speech and anxiety therapist.
Chris claims he can appear ‘drunk’ due to apraxia condition
Ninja Warrior star Chris, who played for England before becoming a regular face on TV as a football analyst, has previously opened up about his speech apraxia.
In March he gave his first TV interview about the condition to Good Morning Britain. He said: “Today is a good day. Today I think I’m fine, I don’t know how I sound. But it seems as if I’m okay.
“But on Saturday I was doing a report for Sky at Rotherham and unbeknown to me, because I’m not really sure about how it comes out, because if I explain my apraxia, we take for granted the fact that when we think and coming through our speech it’s comfortable, it’s easy, it’s natural.”
He added: “My apraxia, because it varies in different people, when it’s bad it stops those signals from the brain going to the mouth, so it slows it down.
“In fact, at times it slurs the words as well. So people are looking and thinking, is he alright? Is he drunk?”
What caused it?
Chris then went on to share that experts still haven’t pinpointed the cause of his condition, as he explained: “It’s a neurological problem. We don’t know, the experts don’t know.
“The brain is such a complex part of you that it’s hard to say whether it is the thyroid that’s brought this on, will it get better in time?
“I’m trying to use parts of my brain now that allow me to speak fluently. So I’m with a speech therapist and I’m with another therapist who’s trying his best. So it’s quite incredible really.”
Read more: Chris Kamara urged to ‘keep fighting’ as he issues ‘difficult’ update on illness
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire is on ITV on Sunday October 23 at 9pm.
Send your best wishes to Chris on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix.
Niamh Spence
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