Courageous Calderwood

No case of Alzheimer’s Disease is any more tragic than another, but it is always painful to see a public figure struggle with an illness that can turn a life upside down.

For most who are diagnosed with the disease, it is possible to deal with the condition in private, but anyone in the public eye either has to withdraw, or accept that the difficulties caused will be there for all to see.

Jimmy Calderwood, the former footballer and football manager, has been living with an Alzheimer’s diagnosis for two years, and has now decided to go public to help raise awareness of the condition. It’s a brave approach, because his life from now on will be defined by that one fact. For others, this course of action might not appeal or be appropriate, or a diagnosis might come too late to allow a rational decision to be made. No approach is right or wrong.

However, it’s typical of Mr Calderwood that he wants to use his misfortune to help others in the fight against this dreadful illness. We offer every good wish to Mr Calderwood, and his wife Yvonne, as they face an uncertain future with great courage.