Mental illness is a major issue in society today. It comes in various forms and affects many, not just the victims, but those close to them.
It was good to hear in the last month that high profile footballer Frank Lampard spent time in his last week in professional football in England promoting awareness of dementia, a condition which his grandmother suffered from.
He spoke on behalf of the Alzheimer’s society who chose him to try and humanise a disease that apparently claims a new victim every three minutes. Those who witnessed his work state he was an outstanding ambassador, eloquent and an effective communicator with real dignity.
Just to show how no one is spared these days, Sir Roger Bannister, now aged 86 – who we interviewed on the show- is suffering Parkinson’s disease. Apart from being the first man to run a sub-four minute mile, Bannister was also a prominent neurologist.
It was at Iffley Road in Oxford in 1954 that he broke the record, and the thin black leather spikes that he wore are to be auctioned in September by Christies in London, with proceeds going to a number of Sir Roger’s charities.
The reserve price for such a unique piece of sporting memorabilia is a shade under UKL50,000. However so much interest has already been shown that many believe that the final price will in fact see another zero added to the reserve.
If this money can be used to find a cure or even a cause for any of these humiliating and debilitating diseases then it will all be extremely worthwhile.
