Wendy Williams, 59, Diagnosed with Aphasia and Frontotemporal Dementia: 'Receiving the Care She Requires'

The former talk show host has aphasia and frontotemporal dementia — two conditions that also affect Bruce Willis

Wendy Williams has been diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), her medical team announced.

According to a press release, the former talk show host, 59, was diagnosed last year, and her medical team said the conditions “already posed significant obstacles in Wendy’s life.”

“Wendy can still do many things for herself,” the team said in a statement. “Most importantly, she maintains her trademark sense of humor and receives the care she needs to make sure she is protected and that her needs are addressed. She is grateful for the many kind thoughts and good wishes that have been sent to her.”

According to the Mayo Clinic, aphasia “takes away your ability to communicate” and “can affect your ability to speak, write, and understand language, both spoken and written.” The group adds that the condition “usually appears suddenly after a stroke or head injury. But it can also come on gradually from a slow-growing brain tumor or a disease that causes progressive, permanent damage (degenerative).”

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is an umbrella term for a group of brain disorders that affect the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. This means that parts of these lobes atrophy, and shrinking of these areas can cause speech problems, emotional problems and personality changes.

Other symptoms may include loss of motor skills — trouble walking, swallowing, or muscle spasms. Symptoms worsen over time. Patients usually begin to notice symptoms between the ages of 40 and 65, but it can affect people who are younger. It is the most common form of dementia in people under the age of 60.

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What is frontotemporal dementia? Everything you need to know about Bruce Willis’ diagnosis

Wendy Williams 2018 in New York.

Santiago Felipe/Getty

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After being diagnosed with aphasia and FTD, Williams worked with specialists at Weill Cornell Medicine. Aphasia and FTD are also conditions Bruce Willis was diagnosed with last year.

Williams dealt with a number of ongoing health problems, including Graves’ disease, lymphedema and alcohol abuse.

She entered a facility to treat “cognitive issues” in April 2023 and was appointed a court-appointed legal guardian. Her sister Wanda Finnie and niece Alex told PEOPLE in this week’s cover story that they have noticed a positive change in her condition.

“She sounds really great. Hearing my aunt now in terms of how clear she is, how focused she is on the importance of family and reality in terms of dealing with and understanding where she’s at physically, mentally and emotionally, it’s like a 180,” Alex said.

“I don’t know what works, but I know that when she spoke to me, she was a very different person than what we see in that documentary,” Wanda said, referring to Where is Wendy Williams?Lifetime’s new documentary shot between August 2022 and April 2023.

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education

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