Theo Burrell marked a significant personal milestone on Monday, celebrating her fourth birthday since receiving a terminal brain cancer diagnosis.
The Antiques Roadshow specialist from East Lothian, Scotland, posted an Instagram Story featuring pink and blue flowers with a defiant message.
“Against all the odds, today marks the fourth birthday I’ve celebrated since [my] diagnosis. Don’t let anyone underestimate you!” she wrote in bold text across the image.
The BBC personality’s celebration comes three years after doctors informed her she had only three months to live without surgery for glioblastoma.
Her determination to exceed expectations has become a hallmark of her public battle with the incurable brain tumour, which typically carries a life expectancy of 12 to 18 months.
Mrs Burrell first experienced severe migraines in 2021, which led to her devastating diagnosis of a grade 4 glioblastoma in June 2022.
At just 35 years old and with her son Jonah only 19 months old, she underwent surgery followed by intensive chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments.
The aggressive brain tumour she faces has seen no significant treatment advances in two decades. Her most recent scan in July showed stable results, though the condition remains terminal.
Earlier this year, Mrs Burrell received encouraging news when scans revealed no active cancer cells, though she acknowledged the tumour would inevitably return.
She had experienced regrowth in December, requiring her to resume chemotherapy treatment.
The mother-of-one continues to serve as a patron for Brain Tumour Research, using her platform to raise awareness about the disease.
Several weeks ago, Mrs Burrell shared another deeply personal achievement when her son Jonah began primary school. The Antiques Roadshow expert revealed she had feared missing this crucial moment in her child’s life.
“Last week I marked one of my biggest milestones to date – because my son, Jonah, started school!” she wrote on social media.
“When I was diagnosed with a GBM in June 2022, Jonah was 19 months old, and he was still a tiny little boy who could barely speak.”
She described watching him develop into “a huge chatterbox and a very keen dancer, with endless energy and a great sense of humour.”
The television personality admitted she had “cried many times” believing she would not witness this occasion, adding: “But here I am! And I’m extremely grateful.”
In June, Mrs Burrell had shared more hopeful news about her health status following treatment.
She revealed that her chemotherapy had been effective over several months, with medical imaging showing no active cancer cells at that time.
“The tumour will return, but for now, things are looking pretty quiet,” she had written alongside a photograph of colourful roses.
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She was beginning her seventh round of chemotherapy, noting that while her blood counts were declining, they remained sufficient to continue treatment.
During that period, she had asked her oncologist difficult questions about future treatment possibilities and potential physical effects of tumour regrowth.
However, she chose to focus on daily life rather than dwelling on uncertain outcomes, expressing gratitude for the support messages she received from followers.