SIR Bobby Charlton fought a health battle after being diagnosed with dementia, the same illness that claimed his brother Jack.
The England and Manchester United football legend, who has died aged 86, had been suffering for several years.
Sir Bobby Charlton fought a health battle after being diagnosed with dementiaPaul Edwards – The Sun
GettyBobby’s brother Jack (M) died of dementia in July 2020, World Cup winner Nobby Stiles (L) died that October[/caption]
When Jack died aged 85 in July 2020, Bobby himself was in ill health and unable to attend the funeral.
By November of that year, Bobby’s wife Lady Norma Charlton confirmed his dementia diagnoses.
The couple hoped going public “could help” others affected.
Bobby’s diagnosis reignited debate within the game about the link between heading the ball and brain disease.
Charlton was one of several World Cup winners to be diagnosed with dementia, including Jack.
Ray Wilson was the first to succumb to dementia in July 2018 and Martin Peters died of the disease a year later.
Nobby Stiles, famed for dancing with the Jules Rimet Trophy in one hand and his dentures in the other, died in October 2020 of dementia.
Sir Geoff Hurst, the only surviving member of the World Cup winning team, said in 2020: “It’s just been a nightmare year.”
Dementia is an umbrella term that covers a lot of different conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease.
Alzheimer’s disease, which is the most common form of dementia, is responsible for around two thirds of the cases of dementia in the UK, which is why people sometimes get confused.
Both diseases affect millions of people all over the world and are a leading cause of death globally.
There are around 944,000 people with dementia in the UK and this number is expected to increase, Alzheimer’s Research UK said in May.