Fiona Phillips recalls 'anger' after being given Alzheimer’s diagnosis
Presenter Fiona Phillips says she felt 'angry' after being told she was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease
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TV Presenter Fiona Phillips says she felt "angry" after being told she was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.
The 61-year-old has revealed that she has been living with the condition for 18 months as she feared the illness was waiting for her.
The star explained her heartbreak as Alzheimer’s has already hugely impacted her family.
“It’s something I might have thought I’d get at 80,” she told the Mirror.
The star explained her heartbreak as Alzheimer’s has already hugely impacted her family
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“But I was still only 61 years old. I just felt more angry than anything else because this disease has already impacted my life in so many ways; my poor mum was crippled with it, then my dad, my grandparents, my uncle. It just keeps coming back for us.”
The mum-of-two hopes that by telling her story she can help end the stigma which remains around the disease.
She added: “No one has known because I haven’t been blaring out loud, ‘Oh yeah, I’ve got Alzheimer’s.’ And I have been so worried people will judge me or put labels on me.
“It’s a horrible bloody secret to divulge.”
“There is still an issue with this disease that people think of old people, bending over a stick, talking to themselves.
“But I’m still here, getting out and about, meeting friends for coffee, going for dinner with Martin and walking every day.”
Phillips' husband, TV’s This Morning editor Martin Frizell explained that the symptoms started with his wife "feeling crippling anxiety towards the end of 2021"
“We thought maybe it was the menopause because all the symptoms were there: brain fog, anxiety and confusion,” he said.
“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.”
Phillips responded: “Really? I don’t recall any of that."
Eamonn Holmes has paid tribute to his former GMTV co-host following her health announcement
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Following her announcement, GB News' Eamonn Holmes paid tribute to his friend as he shared his own worries surrounding Alzheimer's.Eamonn Holmes paid tribute to his friend as he shared his own worries surrounding Alzheimer's.
Speaking to his co-host Isabel Webster, Holmes opened up about his friendship with Phillips as he admitted "she always did fear it would come after her".
He said: "She always feared it, because her mother had it and her father had it, she always did fear that it would come after her and sadly that has been the case."
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