Danielle Laidley Reveals Brain Tumour Following Shock ‘Sledgehammer’ Diagnosis

Danielle Laidley Reveals Urgent Need for Surgery to Remove Rare Brain Tumor
By Shayne Bugden for Daily Mail Australia

Former North Melbourne AFL star and coach Danielle Laidley has shared her battle with a rare brain tumor, revealing she requires urgent surgery to remove the growth located on her spinal cord. The 58-year-old, who made headlines in 2020 after her gender transition became public, described the diagnosis as a shock that hit her “like a sledgehammer.”

[Image 1: Danielle Laidley pictured recently, caption: Footy great Danielle Laidley is bracing for surgery to remove a brain tumour on her spinal cord.]

Laidley began experiencing severe headaches in October 2023, prompting medical scans that uncovered a subependymoma—a benign tumor growing in the fluid-filled spaces of her brain and spine. While non-cancerous, its precarious position necessitates immediate removal. “It’s not going to kill me, but being on my spinal cord, it has to come out,” she explained on The Imperfects podcast, comparing the discomfort to “walking around with a stone in your shoe.”

The news left Laidley and her partner, Donna Leckie, reeling. “It really knocked our socks off,” she admitted, adding that they had to confront difficult preparations for the worst-case scenario.

[Image 2: Laidley and Leckie together, caption: Laidley and partner Donna Leckie faced emotional turmoil after the diagnosis.]

Subependymomas are slow-growing tumors that can cause headaches, nausea, and vision issues. Laidley’s case is complicated by the tumor’s location, requiring highly specialized neurosurgery. Despite the challenges, she remains optimistic, crediting her resilience to a lifetime of overcoming adversity—including her public journey with gender identity and a much-discussed 2020 arrest that inadvertently led to her transition becoming national news.

Laidley, who played 151 AFL games and later coached North Melbourne from 2003–2009, has become a vocal advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and mental health awareness. Her openness about her struggles has resonated widely, with fans and the football community rallying behind her latest health battle.

As she prepares for surgery, Laidley emphasized focusing on gratitude and support from loved ones. “You realize what truly matters,” she said. Further updates on her condition are expected in the coming weeks.

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