Why Gene Wilder Kept Alzheimer’s Secret And How His Death Can Help Awareness Of The Disease : ibtimes

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Why Gene Wilder Kept Alzheimer's Secret And How His Death Can Help Awareness Of The Disease

Why Gene Wilder Kept Alzheimer's Secret And How His Death Can Help Awareness Of The Disease

Legendary actor Gene Wilder died from Alzheimer's at the age of 83 Sunday, but his fans didn't know he was suffering from the illness.Wilder purposely kept the disease private because he didn't want to upset fans who loved his role as Willy Wonka in the beloved '70s film "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory."But now that his secret is out, Wilder's death from Alzheimer's could bring more awareness to the disease.Wilder was diagnosed with the degenerative brain disorder three years ago.


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What Gene Wilder's Death Could Do For Alzheimer's Disease Awareness

What Gene Wilder's Death Could Do For Alzheimer's Disease Awareness

"Think about Parkinson's and Michael J. Fox," he continued."Right now, there is not as visible of a spokesperson for Alzheimer's disease."However, he said that the condition is in dire need of a spokesperson who can continue to raise awareness about the importance of early diagnosis and treatments to prolong good mental function for as long as possible."There's such a tendency to not name [Alzheimer's disease] for what it is, and it's commendable that they've identified it as a cause of death," said Alzheimer's disease expert Kristoffer Rhoads, a clinical neuropsychologist at the University of Washington School of Medicine's Memory and Brain Wellness Center at Harborview.Experts praised the family's decision to name Alzheimer's disease as the cause of death, saying that it could lift a veil of stigma about the most common cause of dementia .


coupled with medicaldaily

How Do People Die From Alzheimer's? After Gene Wilder's Death, How Progressive Disease Affects The Human Brain

How Do People Die From Alzheimer's? After Gene Wilder's Death, How Progressive Disease Affects The Human Brain

Gene Wilder's family announced he passed away of "complications from Alzheimer's disease" at the age 83 in his home in Connecticut on Monday.The iconic actor and comedian suffered privately from the progressive brain disorder for three years before succumbing to the disease's complications.More than five million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease today, but how does this common yet incurable type of dementia kill a person?Alzheimer's disease accounts for 60 to 80 percent of dementia cases, which causes problems with memory, thinking, and behavior that slowly worsen overtime.