Wendy Williams thanks fans for support after dementia and aphasia diagnosis

Former American talk show host Wendy Williams has thanked her fans for their support over her dementia and aphasia diagnosis.

Williams, 59, said her response had been “overwhelming” and she felt “immense gratitude for the love and kind words” she had received.

In a statement to the Associated Press, the star said the messages had reminded him “of the power of unity and the need for compassion.”

She hosted the nationally syndicated Wendy Williams Show for more than a decade.

It ended in 2022 amid the health problems he has been facing.

His care team announced his diagnosis Thursday “to correct inaccurate and hurtful rumors about his health.”

A statement read: “As Wendy’s fans know, she has been open with the public in the past about her medical struggles with Graves’ disease and lymphedema, as well as other significant challenges related to her health.

“In recent years, questions have sometimes been raised about Wendy’s ability to process information and many have speculated about Wendy’s condition, particularly when she began to lose words, act erratically at times, and have difficulty understanding words. financial transactions”.

The care team added that the diagnosis was confirmed through “a battery of medical tests” last year.

Aphasia is a nervous system syndrome that affects the ability to communicate, and patients often have difficulty expressing thoughts and even lose the ability to speak or write.

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is an incurable brain disorder caused by damage to the left side of the brain that affects language and communication abilities. Its symptoms, which worsen over time, can be controlled, but there is no treatment that can slow or prevent its progression, the National Institutes of Health says.

This rare disease tends to affect people at a younger age than other forms of dementia, with most being diagnosed between the ages of 45 and 64.