Rumer Willis shared an old picture with her dad Bruce, almost a month since the family announced he’s retiring from acting due to aphasia.
It is a picture of love and tenderness between a dad and one of his daughters. A family snap really, something we all have somewhere, at the back of the drawer, in a cardboard box in the attack or languishing on your mobile, unclicked for years.
It’s not a good quality picture – particularly when you consider Bruce is still at the top of Hollywood’s A-list. But it tells a story so powerful few can fail to be moved.
The snap, taken about decade ago, also brings home what life is like for the victims of aphasia and their families.
But it also shows that our love for partners who have fallen to this disease will never end.
Rumer shared a new post to her Instagram account on 21 April. Taken when she was a child, the image shows her father kissing her on her forehead. She captioned the image “P A P A”.
Aphasia spokeswoman Carol Dow-Richards, ARC Director, said with a sense of hope: “There IS treatment. People should indeed seek treatment from a licensed Speech Language Pathologist.
“I believe that the CBS report stating there is “no treatment” for aphasia takes hope away from the 2.5-4 million with aphasia.
“Their report also stated there were two million in the USA with aphasia. According to the white paper published by AphasiaAccess, those numbers are likely much higher.
“There IS treatment. While there is not a cure, there is treatment!
“Aphasia is NOT rare. There are more people with aphasia than Parkison’s and muscular dystrophy. However, few Americans know what aphasia is.
“Many with acquired aphasia improve over the years.
“Those with PPA may decline over the years as it is a degenerative brain disease, very different than acquired aphasia from a stroke or brain injury.
“It is imperative that the narrative is accurate. Whether PPA or acquired aphasia, people should seek treatment from a Speech Language Pathologist.
We all appreciate the focus on aphasia. We want to be sure the narrative isn’t out of context and confusing the public or people with aphasia.
“Aphasia is a devastating diagnosis and disability. We believe that lack of public awareness creates a secondary disability for people trying to re-engage in life with aphasia. Communication is the bridge to community engagement – and education is key!
“There is hope! People with acquired aphasia can and do improve.
People with PPA and their families can benefit from therapy and education from a licensed Speech Language Pathologist to offer support strategies.”
Bruce’s acting career began in the early 1980s but he did not become a household name until later in that decade – first after starring opposite Cybill Shepherd in the ABC TV series Moonlighting and then in his 1988 performance as John McClane in the first Die Hard film.
Since then, his films including The Sixth Sense, Armageddon and Pulp Fiction have grossed more than $5bn worldwide, according to Variety. He’s been nominated for five Golden Globes, winning one for Moonlighting, and three Emmys, winning two.
Several actors and other stars
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