04 December 2023 , 09:50
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Bruce Willis' wife Emma Heming Willis has said that she's putting herself "back together" after attending a summit about dementia amid her husband's ongoing health struggles.
The beloved Die Hard actor, 68, was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (better known as FTD) earlier this year. His health battle was first unveiled last year though, when Bruce's family revealed that he was suffering from a language disorder called aphasia.
Emma, 45, who married Bruce in 2009, has spoken out about her husband's struggles on several occasions. She also raises awareness for his condition with public appearances and research.
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Bruce stepped away from acting in March and Emma has been his "care partner" ever since
Emma attended a summit about FTD over the weekend (emmahemingwillis/Instagram)Bruce stepped away from acting in March and Emma has been his "care partner" ever since, with her now having taken a short break from looking after him in order to attend a summit about research into FTD.
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"Off to Miami to learn about FTD biomarkers," Emma penned on Instagram on Sunday before sharing a snap of a lanyard and pass which read "Holloway Summit" and her name.
After attending the summit, Emma shared a video clip of herself walking across a beach. Smiling for the camera while her hair billowed in the wind, Emma penned a short caption that read: "Putting my brain back together after a day of learning about FTD biomarkers. Made time for a walk."
Emma then went on to share more about biomarkers. She penned a new slide which read: "Biomarkers would be game-changing. It would mean earlier diagnosis that would have such a positive and profound snowball effect for this community."
Emma went on a "grounding" walk after attending the summit over the weekend (emmahemingwillis/Instagram)
Bruce was diagnosed with aphasia in 2022 (EMMA HEMMING/INSTAGRAM)She then shared a post about Michael J Fox, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease when he was 29 in 1991. Sharing a post about the "monumental leap forward for Parkinson's disease", Emma wrote: "Early this year Michael J Fox announced the discovery of biomarkers for Parkinson's disease. This is such an exciting and incredible breakthrough.
"They attended the Holloway Summit to share their learnings with the FTD science community. It's beautiful to see the collaboration all in one room. It's a hopeful time," she concluded.
In the original announcement about Bruce's condition, which was made in March 2022 regarding Bruce's then-diagnosed aphasia, his family said: "To Bruce’s amazing supporters, as a family we wanted to share that our beloved Bruce has been experiencing some health issues and has recently been diagnosed with aphasia, which is impacting his cognitive abilities.
"As a result of this and with much consideration, Bruce is stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him."
Back in October it was revealed that Bruce is now "not totally verbal" after his heartbreaking dementia diagnosis. Glenn Gordon Caron, a film creator who worked with Bruce in the 80s spoke to Page Six a few weeks ago and said: "My sense is the first one to three minutes he knows who I am.
"He’s not totally verbal; he used to be a voracious reader - he didn’t want anyone to know that - and he’s not reading now." Glenn then went on to add: "All those language skills are no longer available to him, and yet he’s still Bruce."
"When you’re with him you know that he’s Bruce and you’re grateful that he’s there, but the joie de vivre is gone," he added.
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