Bruce Willis' Aphasia Diagnosis Offers Positive Impact, Raises Awareness
Bruce Willis still does wonders even after retiring from the movie industry.
Willis left the industry sooner than expected as he and his family announced his retirement due to his aphasia diagnosis. His wife, Emma Heming Willis, said that the disease has been affecting the actor's cognitive abilities.
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, aphasia is a language disorder caused by damage in a patient's brain that controls comprehension. People diagnosed with the disease are unable to communicate properly with others how they used to. Unfortunately, it can also lead to stroke.
Despite the tragic condition, the "Die Hard" actor became a game changer as he continuously shares details and updates about himself while fighting the disease. In fact, he just made people's awareness about aphasia skyrocket.
The National Aphasia Association conducted a survey amid Willis' health issue. Usually, the organization waits four years between each survey, but it changed to see how the actor's condition made a huge impact on aphasia awareness.
The result of the survey shows that 68 percent of people heard the term aphasia. It saw a massive jump from the 14 percent in 2020.
Meanwhile, 40 percent of people said they are aware of the condition and identify it. The figure increased from 7 percent in 2020.
Aside from spreading awareness, Willis' aphasia diagnosis also broke the stigma surrounding the condition. From 42 percent of people - who thought having aphasia and other speech-related conditions are signs of deficiency in people's intellect - it ultimately dropped to 21 percent.
The National Aphasia Association also noted that 1 of 5 respondents mentioned Willis' name while answering the question.
Bruce Willis Doing Well After Diagnosis
Months after his retirement, the actor remains positive and happy while enjoying his life outside the spotlight.
His wife recently posted a clip of Willis and their daughter as they played around together recently.
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The 43-year-old matriarch also told The Bump that the family tries to see the bright side instead of spending time making memories.
"The girls bring so much love, laughter, and life into our home. For us as a family it's always been about making memories. We just love spending time with each other, and we know that time is precious, and I don't take that for granted," she said.
In May, Willis also showed that he is still physically well by playing basketball with his pals in their backyard.
