Celebrities & Health – This Week’s Theme at the Health & Wellness Channel, Alzheimer’s Notes Included
June 8, 2008 by Mary Emma Allen
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
Celebrities and their families have been “going public” during the last few years when Alzheimer’s strikes them. This illness is no longer hidden, the person sequestered where no one sees them, and families refrain from talking about it.
This week, as we pursue the theme of Celebrities & Health at the b5media Health & Wellness channel, we’ll be mentioning various celebrities and sharing how they and their families faced this disease and inspired and encouraged others.
I’m pleased that celebrities’ families like those of Ronald Reagan, Charlton Heston, Rita Hayward, Arlene Francis, and others have come forth. Not that we should pry into their lives and make every nuance public, but the knowledge that they aren’t afraid to talk about this illness helps all of us.
When it became noticeable that my mom had developed Alzheimer’s, as her sister had, I often felt others didn’t want to hear about it, that they thought me an inconsiderate daughter because I dared imply Mother had this illness. What a relief when I no longer had to “walk on egg shells” when talking about Mother’s condition, except to families of Alzheimer’s victims or staff in the nursing home.
I credit much of this openness about Alzheimer’s and the desire to raise awareness to Ronald Reagan and his family. They opened a door for us and helped fo many others face the illness. Other celebrities and their families have followed suit.
What are your thoughts on this?
(Amazon image; click on DVD for more information)
(c)2008 Mary Emma Allen
