Famous people with Alzheimer’s?

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Famous people suffering from neurological degenerative Alzheimer’s disease remind us that there is currently no prevention, no cure and no discrimination when it comes to diagnosis. Political figures, actors and athletes alike can use their recognition to draw attention to the need for research, early diagnosis and greater awareness. Ironically, however, the disease makes it extremely difficult for such characters to make public appearances, as they cannot reliably deliver speeches or interact with media when their memory and functionality are in decline.

Perhaps the most notorious sufferer, of course, was the 40th president of the United States, Ronald Reagan. He has dramatically raised public awareness of the tragic disease through his personal education and fundraising mission. In 1983, he declared the National Alzheimer’s Disease Month November to call attention to the growing number of older adults who succumb to debilitation. He founded the Ronald and Nancy Reagan Research Institute, in coordination with the Alzheimer’s Association, to explore possible causes and treatment pathways, with a particular focus on early diagnosis. When he passed away in 2004, he left a lasting legacy of research funds to benefit a country that now better understands and appreciates the tragic condition.

Other political figures have not been as public about their Alzheimer’s disease. The modern American conservative of the 1960s, Barry Goldwater, who died of Alzheimer’s in 1998, lived out his last years in private. Experts still disagree on whether Sir Winston Churchill, the prime minister of Great Britain, suffered from Alzheimer’s disease or dementia associated with stroke. A family doctor insists Churchill did not have the neurological disorder, yet many of his symptoms are consistent with Alzheimer’s. More than anything, this speaks to the shame and uncertainty surrounding a correct diagnosis.

Charlton Heston, actor and political activist, is among the few celebrities who still suffer from Alzheimer’s. Heston became famous in the 1950s for such epics as The Ten Commandments. He remained popular for three decades, starring in adventures, westerns and winning two Oscars. After retiring from acting, he took up conservative causes, most notably as president of the National Rifle Association. He has championed the progress of Alzheimer’s since his diagnosis in 2001. On behalf of the Academy of Molecular Imaging, Heston issued a public service announcement urging those without Alzheimer’s symptoms to use a new detection method, PET scans of the brain. Positron emission tomography can diagnose Alzheimer’s very early and give patients the chance to enjoy their symptom-free time.

Other actors, like classic Hollywood pin-up girl Rita Hayworth of the 1940s and ultra-masculine Charles Bronson of the 1960s, also had Alzheimer’s disease. Since they were diagnosed late and have not had the kind of public support they have recently gotten, our country’s climate has not allowed them to make statements before their deaths. Likewise, boxer Sugar Ray Robinson and singer Perry Como suffered from advanced Alzheimer’s in the later years of their private lives and succumbed to the disease in 1989 and 2001, respectively.

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