TV presenter Fiona Phillips has revealed she has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
The former breakfast TV host said she was told she had the condition 18 months ago after she experienced symptoms of anxiety and brain fog.
Fiona – who is currently taking part in a drug trial scientists hope could revolutionise treatment of the currently incurable illness – bravely spoke out this evening in a bid to end the stigma surrounding Alzheimer’s.
The 62-year-old told The Mirror said: “This disease has ravaged my family and now it has come for me.
“And all over the country there are people of all different ages whose lives are being affected by it – it’s heartbreaking.
“I just hope I can help find a cure which might make things better for others in the future.”
She is currently taking a new drug called Miridesap which scientists hope could slow or even reverse the illness.
The drug is administered three times a day with tiny needles and is being trialled by the University College Hospital (UCH) in London.
The mother-of-two spoke out as the illness continues to claim the lives of thousands of people across the UK every years.
The Office for National Statistics said that “dementia and Alzheimer’s disease” were the leading cause of death in the UK in 2022.
“There is still an issue with this disease that the public thinks of old people, bending over a stick, talking to themselves,” the 62-year-old said.
“But I’m still here, getting out and about, meeting friends for coffee, going for dinner with (her husband) Martin (Frizell) and walking every day.”
Fiona revealed the news today in an effort to fight the stigma surrounding the illness
(PA)
Martin, 64, revealed that they began to notice something was wrong when she developed “crippling anxiety” towards the end of 2021.
She had never experienced this before and initially they thought it might be the menopause of similar symptoms.
“We got in touch with a menopause specialist who took her under their wing and put her on HRT but while that improved some symptoms, the brain fog remained,” Martin said.
This prompted the couple to seek further help, including months of cognitive tests before a lumbar puncture to assess spinal fluid revealed she had Alzheimer’s.
As with all drug trials, some participants are given placebo drugs to see how effective they are.
Fiona has no idea if she is among this cohort but still believes that partaking is important for future sufferers.
Martin, who edits ITV’s flagship show This Morning, said: “Even the people we see for the check ups don’t know if Fiona is on the real drug or a placebo.
“It’s been weeks now and I like to think her condition is stabilising but I am too close to know really, that could just be my wishful thinking.”
Alzheimer’s symptoms
According to the NHS, early symptoms may include:
forget about recent conversations or events
misplace items
forget the names of places and objects
have trouble thinking of the right word
ask questions repetitively
show poor judgement or find it harder to make decisions
become less flexible and more hesitant to try new things