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Belfast Live
Belfast Live
National
Nadia Breen

Eamonn Holmes to undergo operation: "It's a risk I'm willing to take"

Eamonn Holmes is set to undergo an operation on Wednesday to help relieve his pain.

The North Belfast man has explained that the procedure has a '20% risk of going wrong'.

It comes as the TV presenter has been battling chronic pain since 2020.

Read more: Eamonn Holmes tells of "worst night ever" amid health battle

Speaking on GB News on Monday, Eamonn told viewers that he would be taking a break from the show for about a week as he has the operation.

In his column for the Express published on Tuesday, Eamonn said: "This week a surgeon will cut into my back to hopefully relieve pressure on my sciatic nerves.

"It’s an operation that carries a 20 percent risk of going wrong, but such is the pain and restrictions that I have been suffering for the past 18 months, I’ve decided it is a risk I am willing to take.

"In fact, it’s a risk I want to take because, at this moment in time, nothing could seem worse than the constant pain that runs through my lower back and legs.

"Yet, in many ways, I am fortunate. However horrible the pain is at times, there are lots of other people out there who have it far worse than I do. I know this because they write to me every day on social media and tell me how they are getting on or, in a lot of cases, how much they are suffering.

"I’m sorry to say we have a pain epidemic in this country. Millions of people - regardless of their age and status - are literally crying out in pain."

Eamonn also told how he feels for others who are also experiencing a health battle.

In his Express column, he added: "My heart breaks for my Twitter followers who tell me of their ills, often incurable, often with no hope whatsoever. That is the rest of their life. I only hope that it’s not the rest of my life.

"I pray that God will guide my surgeon’s hand this week and help me get back to the man I used to be.

"The thing is I might have a way out. So many others will never have that hope and that can be the most crushing pain of all. I am hoping that this will be a 'Back to the Future' procedure and that I go back to the way I was 18 months ago.

"I want my back fixed and my life back. I want to offer a good luck story to all of you who feel that you can no longer deal with your depression, your crying, your anger and that constant question of 'why me?'"

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