Davina McCall has opened up about her father Andrew’s struggles with Alzheimer’s disease, before embarking on The Alzheimer’s Society’s Memory Walk this autumn.
The walk is in aid of raising funds and awareness of the degenerative disease, and people are expected to attend the event in their droves.
The TV presenter will join her father and mother, Gaby, on the walk. The Alzheimer's Society thanked Davina on Twitter, saying: “Many thanks to Davina and her family for helping us launch this year's Memory Walk fundraising campaign.”
"My dad has always been my rock - he's way smarter than me, funnier, stronger, I've always slightly hero-worshipped him," she said, in an interview.
"I have grieved the loss of my old dad, but we are forging a new relationship, a different one - one where perhaps he might need me more.”
Many thanks to @ThisisDavina and her family for helping us launch this year's #MemoryWalk fundraising campaign https://t.co/X2IUC2pGsR pic.twitter.com/LlYfpz0X0j
— Alzheimer's Society (@alzheimerssoc) July 18, 2017
Davina admits that things will be different with her dad from now on, but he’ll always be her dad no matter what.
“Our dynamic has changed, but he's still my dad. My dad is very charming, everyone he meets falls in love with him - that's one thing that hasn't changed,” she said.
"He still gives the best hugs, and my kids adore him. Since he's had Alzheimer's, he has become calmer, and kids respond very well to that.”
The former Big Brother presenter went on to say that she is concerned about how his disease will affect her mother.
"The person I do worry about is my mum. It's a lot, watching the man you love struggle, and I know it's tiring for her. Each day is a blessing. We, as a family, are learning to adapt fast. Each step we discuss together," she said.
Her father also discussed his diagnosis for the first time, recently. He said: "My family noticed the signs before I did - they tell me that occasional memory lapses associated with age became more frequent and more short-term."
Hello Daddy pic.twitter.com/vqmroPf0IM
— Davina McCall (@ThisisDavina) July 18, 2017
"Then I began searching for words, everyday words that would normally have been easy to retrieve from my memory. That's when I realised that this was more than just the natural decline in memory."
However, Andrew is keeping a stiff upper lip and demonstrating true resilience and bravery:"I am blessed with a strong streak of optimism, and there is no doubt that it has helped me come to terms with the diagnosis. I'm doing what I am told to do by the professionals: no more alcohol, plenty of exercise, plenty of reading and challenging my brain to keep things working as much as possible."
Davina's mum Gaby shared her insight into the onset of Andrew's illness, admitting that she noticed 'the subtlest of changes in his behaviour and personality'.
"First, I noticed Andrew would repeat a story he had told only 15 minutes earlier, and yet he had no recollection of the first occasion. Then, I noticed he could not recall events that happened in the past few days. Eventually, he started struggling to find the words he wanted to say and to find everyday items around our home," she said.
Gaby also added: "Both our daughters, Davina and Milly, noticed a change... don't dismiss the early signs and wait until it develops to a more advanced stage."
We wish Andrew, Davina and the family the very best of luck with the charity event. You can find out information on donating, here.
