GMB's Susanna Reid offers support to Fiona Phillips after Alzheimer's news
Good Morning Britain's Susanna Reid shared her best wishes to Fiona Phillips who recently confirmed she'd been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
As she opened the ITV breakfast news programme, the anchor stated that she and the whole of ITV were sending love to former GMTV anchor Fiona.
Fiona, 62, recently opened up to the Daily Mirror editor, Alison Phillips, about her devastating diagnosis which she says has "ravaged" her family over the years.
It comes after the Mirror columnist explained she had been suffering from months of brain fog and anxiety after several members of her family had also suffered from the disease.
Fiona Phillips has opened up about her Alzheimer's Disease diagnosis (Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
Fiona is just 62-years-old (PA)"We're all sending our huge best wishes to Fiona Phillips because of course well known to all of you as the former presenter of GM TV for more than a decade I think and just a hugely popular presenter and journalist.
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"We all know and love her, she's also been an incredible advocate for families living with Alzheimer's." Susanna went on to add: "Her mother was diagnosed in her 50s, her symptoms were certainly picked up in her 50s, her father then in his 60s and her uncle as well.
"And now Fiona herself has been diagnosed, it's called young-onset Alzheimer's. She was diagnosed at the age of 61."
Meanwhile, Ed Balls went on to describe Fiona as an "iconic broadcaster" before going on to explain that former Prime Minister Gordon Brown had pleaded with the presenter to ditch television and move into government. Ed claimed that Mr Brown believed Fiona would be a "brilliant public health minister".
The former PM reportedly thoughts the GMTV star could help "communicate to people about things that should really make a difference to their lives".
"I think we decided that broadcasting was her priority," Ed said before going on to add: "So fair enough to her for deciding that – she would have been brilliant."
Susanna Reid and Ed Balls offered their support to Fiona Phillips (itv)The former MP continued: "I would guess that Fiona has been thinking about this for a long time and now it's a reality that she's been dealing with and so bravely. She's involved in a big trial to try and test out drugs which might make a difference and she wants to pioneer, she wants to talk about it. She wants to help other people deal with this but she'll be doing all of that, helping other people as she's always done while also having to deal with it which is so tough."
"We wish Fiona all our best, we send her all our love," added Susanna.
Speaking to The Mirror, Fiona said: "It's something I might have thought I'd get at 80 but I was still only 61 years old. I felt more angry than anything else because this disease has already impacted my life in so many ways; my poor mum was crippled with it, then my dad, my grandparents, and my uncle. It just keeps coming back for us."
Fiona's two sons, Nat, aged 24, and Mackenzie, 21, were tested for the gene with results coming back stating they do not carry it. The broadcaster hopes that by going public, she will be able to help break the stigma which surrounds the condition as well as offer comfort to those who may be going through a similar experience.
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