Bruce Willis, 70 years old, who is battling dementia after being diagnosed with the condition, has decided to donate his brain for research after his death.
According to foreign media, Willis’s wife, Emma Hemming, stated, “We will donate Bruce Willis’s brain for research after his passing.”
Hemming explained, “Emotionally, it was a difficult decision, but it is necessary for scientifically understanding frontotemporal dementia (FTD).”
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Willis is currently undergoing treatment after being diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD).
He previously announced his retirement in March 2022 after being diagnosed with aphasia. Approximately one year later, he was diagnosed with dementia, and it was revealed that the aphasia he had been suffering from was one of the symptoms of dementia. Frontotemporal dementia is a degenerative brain disorder that affects the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain, which are responsible for language, movement, and emotional regulation, and it differs from Alzheimer’s disease. As symptoms worsen, patients lose the ability to communicate, recognize words, and perform simple physical activities.
Willis is currently living separately from his wife and young daughters, receiving 24-hour professional care.
In a September broadcast, Hemming addressed this decision, saying, “As a family, it was a tough choice. However, it was the safest and best decision not only for Bruce but also for our two young daughters.” She explained that she learned noises made by the children at home could destabilize her husband’s condition, and it had become difficult to invite the girls’ friends to the house.
Regarding criticism from some netizens, she said, “I have no intention of putting this issue to a vote among netizens. It seems caregivers of patients face too much judgment and criticism,” and “It shows that people sometimes just have opinions without having actually experienced it.” She continued, “Dementia manifests differently in each patient,” and “Therefore, one must find a way to keep the family safe, as well as their loved ones and young children.”
Meanwhile, Hemming married Bruce Willis in March 2009, giving birth to their eldest daughter in 2012 and their younger daughter in 2014.