Gail Gregory, a Lancashire woman diagnosed with dementia in 2019 at age 54, was told she had only six to seven years to live. Now, years later, she is still alive and thriving, appearing on Tuesday's This Morning alongside fellow 'dementia rebel' Julie Hayden to challenge the stigma surrounding the condition.
Defying the Odds
Speaking to hosts Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley, Gail recalled the moment she received her diagnosis. 'When I got my diagnosis, they said to me I would have six to seven years to live. I'm in those years now, and I'm still going,' she said. She urged others to 'go outside and live your life. Do the things that you want to do because that's what life's about at the end of the day, it's about living.'
Gail described her initial symptoms, which began while running her embroidery business. 'I was taking a lot of information in which I wasn't retaining. When people were placing orders, I was having trouble retaining information, so I was making mistakes,' she explained. She initially attributed the changes to stress after moving house.
Eventually, she sought medical help and underwent tests, including drawing a clock face and remembering an address. 'You realise there's something wrong. It's then that it's reality,' she said. 'Nobody tells you it's going to be dementia, and you don't imagine it's going to be dementia, especially not at the age of 54.'
Breaking the Stigma
Julie Hayden shared her own journey, revealing that her symptoms were dismissed by doctors for over five years. 'She was told she was depressed and going through menopause,' the report states. It took Julie more than five years to receive a dementia diagnosis.
Both women now support others with dementia, particularly younger people, and fight against the stigma. Julie emphasised the need for better training for doctors, saying, 'I can't tell you what it's like to live with cancer and go through the treatments because I've never been there. Nobody can tell you what it's like to live with dementia unless they've actually lived with it.'
Gail added, 'This is where the perception is wrong. Everybody expects it to be an older person in their later years, what they don't expect is that people younger than me have been diagnosed, there are even children diagnosed. It's that perception we need to change, because it's not the end of life, it's the beginning of a new one.'
A Message of Hope
Gail expressed gratitude for the support she has received and read a powerful message: 'A diagnosis of dementia, it can change many things but it should never, ever change our worth. We don't need pity, and we don't need to be pushed aside, because we need understanding and support and the opportunity to continue to live our lives with purpose, dignity, and connection.'
She also reflected on the positive aspects of her condition: 'I'm very grateful for dementia, because dementia has made me calm down. It's made me appreciate the things that we have, like nature and things like that; it's been wonderful. We get so many opportunities that we wouldn't even dream of having.'
The appearance marked Alzheimer's Society's Forget Me Not month. This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV1 and ITVX.
