Mother-of-one Jayde is told she has the killer disease...at 27
A YOUNG mother yesterday told of her devastation after being diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease – at the age of just 27.
Jayde Greene is hoping to find a cure for the deadly illness after being told she may not live to see her young son Freddie finish secondary school.
The mother of one discovered earlier this month that she has the same faulty gene which led to her father’s premature death from dementia, aged just 52.
Jayde, who lives with partner Michael, 36, has not yet developed symptoms, but has been told the disease is likely to take hold in her 40s, when Freddie will be a teenager.
Her father Michael was diagnosed with dementia when she was a youngster and eventually lost his battle with the disease seven years ago.
Her uncle Brian also died of the illness at 58 last November, and another uncle and aunt are also suffering from symptoms.
Jayde, from Leytonstone, east London, said: “I went for blood tests and consultations and the results came back on July 7. As soon as I walked into the room, I knew it was bad news – there was another doctor in there and I could just feel the vibe that it was bad.
“The doctor started speaking and I just went numb. He spoke for a few minutes but I couldn’t tell you what he said. As soon as I thought about my son, that was it – I switched from dazed and scared to what am I going to do about it?
“I couldn’t believe I’d brought this child into the world only for him to maybe end up getting it too.
“I don’t want him to go through what I had to with my dad.
“I’ve been diagnosed, but the symptoms shouldn’t occur until I’m between 42 and 47. I’ve been told I’ve only got 15 years left until I go down the same road as my dad.”
Jayde now wants to help find a cure and will start a four-year clinical trial on the NHS in November.