Image via @emmahemingwillis Instagram
After the announcement that Bruce Willis has aphasia last year, his family has released an update on his health.
Frontotemporal dementia, or FTD, has been officially confirmed in Willis. A statement from his family was posted on the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration website. “Since we announced Bruce’s diagnosis of aphasia in spring 2022, Bruce’s condition has progressed and we now have a more specific diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia (known as FTD). Unfortunately, challenges with communication are just one symptom of the disease Bruce faces. While this is painful, it is a relief to finally have a clear diagnosis.”
“Today there are no treatments for the disease, a reality that we hope can change in the years ahead. As Bruce’s condition advances, we hope that any media attention can be focused on shining a light on this disease that needs far more awareness and research,” the statement continued.”
“Bruce has always found joy in life—and has helped everyone he knows to do the same,” the statement adds. “It has meant the world to see that sense of care echoed back to him and to all of us. We have been so moved by the love you have all shared for our dear husband, father, and friend during this difficult time. Your continued compassion, understanding, and respect will enable us to help Bruce live as full a life as possible.”
Willis’ family confirmed in March of last year that the 67-year-old actor had been given an aphasia diagnosis, a condition sometimes brought on by damage to a particular part of the brain. Due to the illness, he gave up acting.