TV presenter Charlie Webster has been discharged from hospital more than five weeks after nearly dying from malaria she contracted in Brazil.
The 33-year-old Team GB ambassador fell ill during the opening ceremony of the Rio Olympics and was diagnosed with a rare strain of the mosquito-borne disease after being taken to hospital on August 6.
The former Sky and ITV sports presenter was treated in the South American country before being flown on a medical flight back to the UK at the end of August, still in a serious condition, to be treated at St James’s Hospital in Leeds.
On Friday night she wrote on her social media accounts:
Hey, guess who?! After 5 weeks, I'm out of hospital, alive and finally recovering (even my kidneys have started to slowly improve)!
— Charlie Webster (@CharlieCW) September 9, 2016
A big thank you to the doctor's in Rio and to the exceptional NHS and all the wonderful staff at St James for literally saving my life.
— Charlie Webster (@CharlieCW) September 9, 2016
I am so grateful for all your messages of support and to my family and friends who have been by my side throughout. Massive love 💕
— Charlie Webster (@CharlieCW) September 9, 2016
Webster, from Sheffield, had recently completed a 3,000-mile charity cycle ride from London to Rio when she became ill.
Her condition quickly deteriorated and she was put into a medically induced coma. Doctors diagnosed the rare strain of malaria and she underwent kidney dialysis.
