Several familiar names and faces throughout history have been diagnosed with dementia such as Bruce Willis, Rita Hayworth and Robin Williams and Sharon Stone.
In Australia, more than 421,000 people live with dementia, a brain condition that affects a person’s memory, reasoning, thinking, and social abilities.
It’s a lot more than ‘just getting forgetful’ in our old age, and there are different types of dementia. Most people have heard about Alzheimer’s disease, the degenerative brain disease caused by cell damage, however, there is also vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, and Frontotemporal dementia.
Over the years, several familiar names and faces throughout history have been diagnosed with the condition. Many of them and their family members have used their platforms to advocate and raise awareness of the condition.
Old Hollywood glamour actress and dancer Rita Hayworth was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease in 1980.
Hayworth was one of the first public figures to disclose her diagnosis at a time when little was known about Alzheimer’s Disease. The resulting considerable attention helped remove the stigma for many others affected, while also contributing to public and private funding for Alzheimer’s research.
Her youngest daughter, Princess Yasmin Aga Khan, became her primary carer, stating “the responsibility was basically all on me, a young woman. I did an interview with Barbara Walters about my mother and was contacted by Jerome Stone. He asked if I wanted to join the Alzheimer’s Association as a board member and help start an event in New York to raise awareness and funds.”
And that’s how the Rita Hayworth Gala (which still runs today) began.
After the passing of the beloved actor and comedian Robin Williams, his family learned that he had Lewy body dementia. It is the second most common type of dementia after Alzheimer’s disease. However, Williams was misdiagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
For his wife, Susan Schneider Williams, educating herself about Lewy body dementia has been a “pinprick of light.” It has enabled her to start a new journey where “my healing has started to begin.”
Susan has since become an advocate for Lewy body dementia awareness, research, and education. She has served on the board of the American Brain Foundation and helped establish the Lewy Body Dementia Fund and its $3 million research grant award to learn more about the condition.
Known for his action flicks, A-list actor Bruce Willis was diagnosed with Aphasia in 2022, a condition that affects speech due to brain damage. The diagnosis caused him to take a step back from acting, and a year later, his prognosis progressed to Frontotemporal dementia.
In trying to break the stigma around dementia, in recent interviews, his wife, Emma Heming Willis, stated, “I read a headline recently that basically said there is no more joy in my husband. Now, I can tell you, that is far from the truth.”
Ex-wife Demi Moore also shared some insights, saying, “What I always encourage is to just meet them where they’re at. When you’re holding on to what was, I think it’s a losing game, but when you show up to meet them where they’re at, there is great beauty and sweetness.”
In February this year, the 59-year-old talk show host announced that she had been diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia (PPA) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD).
She chose to share more about her life and diagnosis in her new documentary, “Where Is Wendy Williams?” to highlight her experience and raise awareness of the implications of the condition. Williams also addressed that she has also been living with lymphedema and Grave’s disease.
The press release from her team stated, “the decision to share this news was difficult and made after careful consideration.” They wrote, “not only to advocate for understanding and compassion for Wendy but to raise awareness about aphasia and frontotemporal dementia and support the thousands of others facing similar circumstances.”
While many people remember her as the actress from Basic Instinct, Sharon Stone is also equally known for the work she has done to raise awareness for strokes after a brain aneurysm in 2001 left her with aphasia.
While dementia and aphasia are different conditions, PPA, a type of aphasia, can occur as a symptom of dementia.
Stone had a nine-day brain bleed and was given a one percent chance of survival. During her seven-year recovery, “people took advantage of me over that time, and I lost all $18 million of my savings.”
Despite the hardship, Stone chooses to see the good in life. “I decided not to hang onto being sick or to any bitterness or anger. If you bite into the seed of bitterness, it never leaves you,” she said. “But if you hold faith, even if that faith is the size of a mustard seed, you will survive. So, I live for joy now. I live for purpose.”
Dementia is a complex condition and although there is no cure, there is plenty of support available. For more information check out Dementia Australia.
This dialog plays embedded videos in a popup window.
This dialog displays a site search in a popup window.
This dialog displays a contact form a popup window.
This dialog displays a list of languages available for translation in a popup window.