Motor racing legend reveals his wife was diagnosed two and a half years ago
Scottish motor racing legend Sir Jackie Stewart has launched a charity in a bid to find a cure for dementia.
The three-times Formula 1 world champion has created Race Against Dementia saying he wants to raise millions to help fund global research into new treatments and preventions into the condition.
Launching the charity, Sir Jackie revealed his wife of 54 years Lady Helen has the condition and is the inspiration for his attempts to find a cure for the disease which affects around 90,000 people in Scotland.
Speaking for the first time about his wife's condition, Sir Jackie said she was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia two and a half years ago at the renowned Mayo Clinic in Minnesota after visiting for her annual health check.
It’s the biggest thing I’ve ever taken on, that is for sure and it is the most challenging
“I have watched Helen change before my very eyes for the last two years," he said. "I of course, cannot comment on what it is like to personally have dementia, but I can talk about what it is like to live and love someone who, day by day, is determined to battle it.
“My wife was the original pit lane girl, my professional stopwatch – timing my laps to the millisecond. Her razor sharp mind was one of the things I immediately fell in love with, and it is her mind that is vanishing. Her short term memory is shot – she never remembers where I am even after I repeatedly tell her."
Sir Jackie says he, the couple's two children Paul and Mark and their nine grandchildren are all dealing with it quite well.
Lady Helen’s symptoms vary on a daily basis but her mobility is so impaired that the couple now rely on two full-time carers for support – particularly on the now rare occasion Sir Jackie is not at home.
He is aware that finding a cure now in all likelihood would be too late for Helen and admits at 77 that he might not be around himself to witness the breakthrough.
But, he hopes his background in and access motor racing could provide advantage to finding new creative solutions in the same way the teams of engineers do in the sport. He also cites being dyslexic as giving him the ability to think outside the box more easily.
"I am now facing one of my biggest personal challenges of my life and will make sure that, whilst I am still on this earth, I put all my efforts in finding a cure for this horrendous illness,” he continued. "I want to make sure I can do all I can to help millions of people around the world avoid this heartache.
“Coming from an industry where pioneering engineering is at its best, I believe that by investing in innovative and collaborative research driven by the world’s most promising scientific talent, we will accelerate the identification and development of novel drugs with the potential to transform the lives of patients and their loved ones.
“I’m hoping I can find new scientists and new young people, I don’t care from where they come to try and find not only the cure for it but we need the prevention for it.
“It’s like cancer, it [a cure] is going to be found but it is going to take money and it is going to take a new way of thinking.”
Sir Jackie’s charity has already got the support of friends and influential backers such as Edsel Ford II, advertiser Sir Martin Sorrell and philanthropist Dame Vivien Duffield but is also asking for the public to make donations.
Hilary Evans, chief executive of Alzheimer’s Research UK added: “Sir Jackie’s vision is driven by pure determination and ultimately, love. Dementia has such a high prevalence globally and it is often thought of as an inevitable part of getting older but this is simply not the case – the condition is caused by brain diseases that we can slow or stop through research.
"Researchers are working extremely hard to find new treatments and we are delighted to be part of this unique and innovative approach to accelerate global research efforts.”
To find out more and donate to Race Against Dementia visit its website.
