British journalist and broadcaster Fiona Phillips announced she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's at the age of 61.
The former presenter of ITV's breakfast show GMTV told the Daily Mirror she discovered the disease in 2022 after suffering months of brain fog and anxiety. She also revealed that dementia "decimated" her family after her mother, father, grandparents, and uncle were diagnosed with the disease.
Coping with Dementia
Phillips, who is also a columnist for the Mirror, added she was "getting on" with her diagnosis and trying to "carry on" as normal while sharing her story to help others. She also admitted it still came as a shock and felt "more angry than anything else" when her doctor diagnosed her despite knowing her family history.
"It's something I might have thought I'd get at 80," she said. "But I was still only 61 years old."
Phillips detailed she was undergoing trials at University College Hospital in London for a drug called Miridesap, which could potentially slow the effects of dementia. She described how she took the drug by having her husband, ITV's This Morning editor Martin Frizell, inject a dose of Miridesap into her stomach every day.
"The drugs are brand new and they're expecting a lot from this and so am I," she added.
Phillips has been a long-standing supporter of the Alzheimer's Research UK charity and spoke publicly about her parents' battles with the disease in the past. She also presented the 2009 Channel 4 documentary "Mum, Dad, Alzheimer's and Me".
Messages of Support
She received admiration and support from her fellow ITV presenters and dementia advocates. Lorraine Kelly said she was sending her love to a "good, kind soul.
"I pray the treatment works and results in a massive breakthrough for everyone dealing with this hellish disease," she added.
Good Morning Britain anchor Susanna Reid also sent the best wishes of everyone at the show to what she described as a "hugely popular presenter and journalist."
Alzheimer's Society CEO Kate Lee praised her decision to share her diagnosis, raising a "much-needed awareness" of the condition.
The sentiment was echoed by Alzheimer's Research UK CEO Hilary Evans, praising her "courage to go public with a diagnosis".
Hiding Her Sickness from Her Sons
Meanwhile, The Independent detailed why Phillips temporarily hid her Alzheimer's diagnosis from her two sons, saying she was reluctant to tell it to them as much as she told Frizell. "I just didn't want to make a big thing out of it where we all sit down as a family and announce we've got something to tell them," she added.
Eventually, the couple decided to have blood tests to check whether their sons could inherit the disease, which came back negative.
"There's no Alzheimer's on my side of the family and thank goodness it seems the boys have not inherited from Fiona's side of the family," Frizell added.
What is Early Onset Alzheimer's?
Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia. While it is mostly a disease acquired at an old age, there are rare cases where a person can be diagnosed with it, with only 5% of all Alzheimer's cases diagnosed under the age of 65.
The only known risk factor for getting diagnosed with Alzheimer's at a young age is if close relatives were also diagnosed earlier in life.
Much like normal Alzheimer's cases, early-onset patients experience the same unstoppable course, which affects memory, thinking skills, and behavior.
While medications for slowing the pace of Alzheimer's have cleared clinical trials, they are not yet routinely available. Other drugs like Miridesap, on the other hand, are still being researched or are undergoing trials.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Alzheimer's affects as many as 5.8 million Americans as of 2020.
How to Spot the Early Signs of Alzheimer's?
According to the NHS, the main symptom of Alzheimer's disease in the early stages is memory lapses. People may forget about recent conversations or events, misplace items, forget the names of places and objects, or have trouble thinking of the right word. They can also ask questions repetitively, show poor judgment or find it harder to make decisions,
People having Alzheimer's can also become less flexible and more hesitant to try new things, as well as show signs of mood changes, such as increasing anxiety or agitation, or periods of confusion.
