Chris Kamara is hoping his third trip to Mexico for life changing treatment will help him beat his speech disorder – and will be forever grateful to Kate Garraway for helping him in his hour of need.
The former Portsmouth and Swindon Town footballer, 66, was diagnosed with Apraxia, a motor disorder caused by damage to the brain that significantly impedes speech, in 2021.
The diagnosis led to Kamara stepping away from many of his TV commitments for a time while he came to terms with the diagnosis.
He has credited friend Kate and her late husband Derek Draper, who lost his battle with COVID-19 in January, for inspiring him to get help overseas and now he is confident that he will soon be back to where he was.
He said: ‘I know what it’s like to be isolated – and having very dark thoughts. When I first was diagnosed with my illness, I didn’t tell my wife, my family, or my friends.
‘And all of a sudden, when I did reveal my truth, I started getting help from all sorts of people. Kate Garraway was one such person that reached out to help, after she took her late husband to Mexico for experimental therapy that isn’t available in the UK.
![Chris Kamara Expresses Gratitude Towards Kate Garraway for Encouraging Him to Pursue Experimental Therapy in Mexico Following Admission of Speech Disorder Battle with Apraxia 2 Chris Kamara is hoping his third trip to Mexico for life changing treatment will help him beat his speech disorder (pictured after launching five-a-side football tournament Vantasy Football with Mercedes Benz)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/15/14/84904451-13421507-image-a-1_1715780246187.jpg)
Chris Kamara is hoping his third trip to Mexico for life changing treatment will help him beat his speech disorder (pictured after launching five-a-side football tournament Vantasy Football with Mercedes Benz)
![Chris Kamara Expresses Gratitude Towards Kate Garraway for Encouraging Him to Pursue Experimental Therapy in Mexico Following Admission of Speech Disorder Battle with Apraxia 4 The former Portsmouth and Swindon Town footballer was diagnosed with Apraxia, a motor disorder caused by damage to the brain that affects the ability to speak, in 2021](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/15/14/84904453-13421507-image-a-2_1715781028050.jpg)
The former Portsmouth and Swindon Town footballer was diagnosed with Apraxia, a motor disorder caused by damage to the brain that affects the ability to speak, in 2021
‘I’m incredibly grateful for her support – I’ve now been twice so far and achieved real progress each time. I’m hoping with a third trip booked, that I’ll be able to improve my condition even further.
He added: ‘I still have my off days, but I’d say I’m 20% away from where I used to be, say, three-and-a-half years ago.’
Kamara was speaking as he teamed up with Mercedes-Benz Vans to help launch Vantasy Football, a five-a-side tournament to bring van drivers together through team sport and improve mental wellbeing.
He is hosting the event, which is exclusively for van drivers and takes place at St George’s Park, England’s football training ground in August.
And after a 20-year playing career that ended in 1995 with a short spell at Bradford City, the former midfielder knows how important sport can be.
‘Spending time on your own, not talking to people, these things have a real impact on mental health,’ he revealed.
‘I know what isolation does to you. Sport is such a major part of my life and my recovery.
‘The camaraderie of sport – being part of a team – is such a great way to overcome loneliness.’
![Chris Kamara Expresses Gratitude Towards Kate Garraway for Encouraging Him to Pursue Experimental Therapy in Mexico Following Admission of Speech Disorder Battle with Apraxia 6 Kamara admitted last year that he felt like a 'fraud' due to apraxia affecting his speech](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/15/14/76924651-13421507-Kamara_admitted_last_year_that_he_felt_like_a_fraud_due_to_aprax-a-12_1715781219303.jpg)
Kamara admitted last year that he felt like a ‘fraud’ due to apraxia affecting his speech
![Chris Kamara Expresses Gratitude Towards Kate Garraway for Encouraging Him to Pursue Experimental Therapy in Mexico Following Admission of Speech Disorder Battle with Apraxia 8 'Kammy' initially hid his condition from his family because he 'didn't want to be a burden'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/05/15/14/78440027-13421507-_Kammy_initially_hid_his_condition_from_his_family_because_he_di-a-13_1715781285230.jpg)
‘Kammy’ initially hid his condition from his family because he ‘didn’t want to be a burden’
Kamara previously revealed he once considered ending his own life as he struggled to come to terms with being diagnosed with apraxia.
The TV personality has established himself as one of football’s best loved and most celebrated sports broadcasters during his career on Sky Sports.
In a new book titled ‘Kammy’, serialised by the Daily Mirror, Kamara admitted in his darkest moments that he contemplated suicide as he did not want to become a burden to his wife Anne.
‘I’m going to admit something now, something I’ve never mentioned before,’ Kamara wrote. ‘It’s hard for me to talk about, so bear with me.
‘I worried about where I was going to end up. Would my physical and neurological deterioration just keep going and going? And I worried more about the effect it would have on those around me.’
He added: ‘I’m a man who has always wanted to help, to provide, to love and nurture those around me. And now I could only see myself as a burden. A shell of the man I used to be that they would be left to look after.’
‘Seeing myself like that was like staring into an abyss. I could never reconcile that image in my head. It was unthinkable.’
‘And it’s at that point I’d think, “They’d be better off without me”‘.
For confidential support, call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch. See www.samaritans.org for details.