World Alzheimer’s Day 2020: 5 Famous Personalities Who Suffered from This Disease

Alzheimer’s is a neurological disorder that causes memory loss and cognitive decline. It happens due to the death of brain cells. In order to raise awareness about the disorder, World Alzheimer’s Day is observed on September 21 every year.

Alzheimer’s affects about 6 per cent of people aged 65 years and above. But, two out of three people in the world knows little or nothing about this disease. Anyone can suffer from this disease, irrespective of class. There are many famous personalities who have been victim of Alzheimer’s. Here are some of those:

Omar Sharif

A report in The Indian Express in 2015 informed that Lawrence of Arabia star Omar Sharif was suffering from Alzheimer’s. A national daily reported citing Sharif’s son, “My father has Alzheimer’s. It’s difficult to determine what stage it’s at. It’s obvious he’ll never improve and it will get worse.” He revealed that his father confused the names of his films.

Ronald Reagan

Former American President Ronlad Reagan, few years after his stint in the office, disclosed to the world through a letter that he had been suffering from Alzheimer’s. He mentioned that he and his wife had decided to reveal about the disease to raise awareness of it. “Perhaps it will encourage a clearer understanding of the individuals and families who are affected by it,” today.com reported, quoting excerpts from his letter.

Rita Hayworth

Rita Hayworth was an American actress who was also a victim to the disease. The actress, who rose to fame in 1940s, was initially not diagnosed correctly for several years. Later, she got to know that she had been suffering from Alzheimer’s. Rita had been experiencing memory loss in day to day life. In 1980s, Hayworth became the “face of Alzheimer’s disease”, reported aplaceformom.com.

Peter Falk

Known for his role in TV series Columbo, Peter Falk was also diagnosed with the disease. His physician revealed that he could not even remember his role in Columbo. He also caught attention with his role in the popular film Princess Bride.

Evelyn Keyes

Actress Evelyn Keyes, who was known for her performances in the classic film Gone with the Wind and The Seven Year Itch, was diagnosed with Alzheimer in 1980s. Owing to the disease, she had to say goodbye to the acting. She had also written her memoir before falling victim to the disease.