Tony Booth, Cherie’s father, has Alzheimer’s

 
18 December 2013

The Londoner is saddened to learn Tony Booth is suffering from Alzheimer’s. Booth, 82-year-old father-in-law of Tony Blair, is now married to Stephanie Booth, who has written about his condition for The Irish Times.

In the article Stephanie, his fourth wife, says he was diagnosed with the early signs around nine years ago, while they were living in Ireland, and that Booth had been most worried about short-term memory loss. As an actor it would have made his work impossible.

Last week David Cameron announced a doubling of resources for research into dementia, of which Alzheimer’s is the most common form, as part of the G8’s new drive to find a cure or treatment by 2025.

In Stephanie’s article she says that now “we are at the stage where he cannot look after himself” and that “Tony’s forgetfulness is now the greatest threat to his safety”.

Booth’s daughter, from his first marriage to Gale Howard, is Cherie Blair, wife of the ex-PM. Tony Booth, dyed-in-the-wool Old Labour, had often been critical of Blair’s rule but his daughter has remained loyal. “Like so many people in our situation, we rely on family and close friends for help,” writes Stephanie. “Cherie is a constant source of support. She looks after her dad regularly, so I can have a break.”

Stephanie used to be a regular columnist for the Irish Times. “For me, this article is a milestone on our own journey. It is the first time Tony has articulated his acceptance of his illness. But Tony, being Tony, managed to rather ruin the heroic moment by saying he also wanted to tell people that his wife is writing for The Irish Times again.”

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