Formula One star, Sir Jackie Stewart's wife is suffering from Dementia

Sir Jackie competed in Formula One from 1965 to 1973 and has revealed that his wife, Lady Helen Stewart, is suffering from dementia.


Lady Helen, 75, was diagnosed two years ago but is refusing to accept she is living with the condition, her husband said.

The three-time Formula One world champion has launched a charity, Race Against Dementia, to fund research with the aim of developing a cure for dementia, although he acknowledged it is probably too late to save his wife of 54 years.

Lady Helen’s mobility is now substantially impaired, Sir Jackie revealed, and she requires round-the-clock carers to help with every-day tasks.

“My wife was the original pit lane girl, my professional stopwatch – timing my laps to the millisecond,” said Sir Jackie.

“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.”

“I have in front of me my wife, my partner, who still has this feisty willpower but is not accepting that she has dementia.

“It is basically like having worthless determination.

(Aaww)

“She knows there isn’t a cure, and that may be the reason she doesn’t accept she has the illness.”


I am now facing one of the biggest challenges of my life and will make sure that, whilst I am still on this Earth, I put all my efforts into finding a cure for this horrendous illness,” he said.

Source: The Telegraph UK