Grey's Anatomy star diagnosed with a brain tumour

Grey's Anatomy fans will remember world-class neo natal surgeon Dr. Addison Montgomery, who was played by Kate Walsh. 

Sadly, the 49-year-old has just stunned fans with the revelation she had to have emergency surgery to remove a brain tumour.

Speaking to Cosmopolitan magazine, Walsh confessed she was given a huge "wake-up call" in 2015 when doctors discovered she had a benign meningioma the size of a lemon.

The actress admitted she was suffering from extreme tiredness but ignored it and put it down to her busy schedule.

"I had been working insane hours, maybe 80 hours a week, and also working out really hard, so I wasn't surprised. I figured, OK , I'll change up my workout routine, I'll go back to mellow stuff like hiking," she said.

As time went on Walsh became even more alarmed when she started swerving to one side while driving and suffered with brain fog and speech issues.

"I went in for the MRI, and you know it's serious when they don't even wait, they're like 'hey, the radiologist wants to see you.' And she starts to say, 'Well, it looks like you have a very sizable brain tumour' -- and I just left my body.

Kate underwent emergency surgery to have the mass removed and has now learnt to listen to her body.

"We're all so socialised to try to self-diagnose, like 'I'll change my workout, I'll change my diet.' I'm very proactive and willful and independent, and in the past, even though I played a doctor on TV for years, I was not one to go see doctors very often, other than for my annual OB-GYN appointment," she added.

"So for me, it was a really big wake-up call to do annual check-ups."