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Dublin Live
26-05-2025
- Health
- Dublin Live
RTE star opens up on paralysis fears following rare diagnosis
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info RTE's George Lee has opened up about his harrowing experience with a rare spinal condition that he feared might leave him permanently paralysed. The Environmental Correspondent shared his ordeal of being wheelchair-bound in 2022 after being diagnosed with Cauda Equina Syndrome, a serious condition where nerve roots at the base of the spine are squeezed or damaged, causing intense back pain, sciatic leg pain, numbness around the anus, and crucially, loss of bowel and bladder function. Urgent medical treatment is essential to avoid lasting harm, including paralysis, reports the Irish Mirror. Speaking to the RTE Guide, George recounted: "I was in a wheelchair for those couple of days, thinking, this is going to be my life from now on," reflecting on the moment following his diagnosis. "It was the strangest thing ever." At 62, George feared he would never bounce back from the illness. He reflected on his recovery journey, saying: "I did read at the time of my illness that many people don't get out very well, so lucky, lucky me. But you go on a journey when something like that happens. First, you think 'Will I recover?' "Second, you think 'What will it be like if I don't recover?' Will someone be changing my nappies for the rest of my life? I believe if the timing was different and the RTÉ redundancy package was available then as it is now, I'd have taken it. But my priorities have shifted again." George also opened up on the absence of his late friend, Charlie Bird. Their friendship dates back to the late 1990s following their collaboration on the National Irish Bank investigation – a seminal moment for both George and Charlie, who passed away in March 2024. "I think about Charlie very often," George expressed. "It all happened so quickly for him, so terribly sad and showing how transient health and life is. I do miss him." Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.
Irish Daily Mirror
26-05-2025
- Health
- Irish Daily Mirror
RTE star feared he'd be paralysed for life as he opens up about rare diagnosis
RTE star George Lee has revealed he thought he would end up paralysed for life after he was diagnosed with a rare spinal condition. The Environmental Correspondent said he feared the worst when in 2022 he was left in a wheelchair after doctors diagnosed him with Cauda Equina Syndrome. CES is where the nerve roots at the base of the spinal cord are compressed or damaged, leading to various neurological symptoms, including severe back pain, pain radiating down the legs (sciatica), numbness around the anus, and most importantly, loss of bowel and bladder control. Immediate medical intervention is crucial to prevent permanent damage, including paralysis. George told the RTE Guide: 'I was in a wheelchair for those couple of days, thinking, this is going to be my life from now on," he said, following the diagnosis. "It was the strangest thing ever.' The 62-year-old said he thought he'd never recover from the illness. "I did read at the time of my illness that many people don't get out very well, so lucky, lucky me. 'But you go on a journey when something like that happens. First, you think 'Will I recover?' 'Second, you think 'What will it be like if I don't recover?' Will someone be changing my nappies for the rest of my life? I believe if the timing was different and the RTÉ redundancy package was available then as it is now, I'd have taken it. But my priorities have shifted again." George also opened up about missing the late Charlie Bird. The pair first met in the late 1990s in the wake of the National Irish Bank story, a major investigation by George and Charliee, who died in March 2024. "I think about Charlie very often," said George. "It all happened so quickly for him, so terribly sad and showing how transient health and life is. I do miss him."
