Fiona Phillips has explained why she concealed her Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis from her two boys.
The ITV presenter, 62, boldly revealed her condition with the world after being diagnosed with cancer last year at the age of 61.
Fiona, who was renowned for hosting GMTV in the 1990s, was originally hesitant to inform anybody for fear of being labelled.
She understands, however, that she can no longer conceal the sickness.
The writer, who has two kids with This Morning head Martin Frizell, confessed to The Mirror that she was adamant about keeping Nat, 24, and Mackenzie, 21, in the dark for months.
Only lately, prior to the publication of her tell-all interview, did she agree that they needed to know, despite the fact that they had most certainly already seen changes in her.
‘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 told the publication.
‘And I was worried they might be embarrassed in front of their friends or treat me in a different way. And it’s not like I’m doing anything out of character.’
Husband Martin added: ‘But there are episodes of forgetfulness and memory lapse.’
‘But they’re not profound, they’re not ruining people’s lives,’ Fiona argued, to which Martin agreed.
Following her own diagnosis, the 2005 Strictly Come Dancing star said that she and Martin both had blood testing to check if their children might inherit the condition.
Fiona’s mother and father both died from Alzheimer’s disease.
‘We wanted to know in case we needed to prepare the boys to make some difficult decisions later in life,’ Martin explained.
‘When the results came back as negative it was a huge moment – such an enormous sense of relief. 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.’
In the interview, the former Loose Woman also stated that she was “angrier than anything else” because the condition had already disrupted her family life.
‘My poor mum was crippled with it, then my dad, my grandparents, my uncle. It just keeps coming back for us,’ she said.
Fiona said she chose to share her experience after keeping the news quiet for 18 months in order to help eradicate the stigma around Alzheimer’s.
‘There is still an issue with this disease that the public thinks of old people, bending over a stick, talking to themselves,’ she said.
‘But I’m still here, getting out and about, meeting friends for coffee, going for dinner with Martin, and walking every day.’
She is participating in clinical studies at London’s University College Hospital, which seek to revolutionise future therapy.
More information about Alzheimer’s disease
More information about Alzheimer’s disease and dementia can be found at the Alzheimer’s Society website: alzheimers.org.uk.
You can contact their support line on 0333 150 3456.
Source My Celebrity Life.
