Overview

• Speaking at Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place Festival, McCall said she drew up an end-of-life checklist to stay calm ahead of surgery.
• She recalled being told the tumour was large, could trigger dangerous fluid buildup, and might force a plane to divert in an emergency.
• The growth was identified as a rare 14mm colloid cyst found during a routine health screening and was removed last year by neurosurgeon Kevin O’Neill.
• She said her priority was preparing her children, writing letters in case she did not survive, while praising partner Michael as her “soulmate” support.
• After a full recovery, she now calls the operation the best thing that happened to her and says she is no longer afraid of dying.