Back in May this year it was revealed that former EastEnders actress Dame Barbara Windsor, who played the role of infamous Peggy Mitchell, has been living with Alzheimer's disease since April 2014, and now she's undergone heart surgery due to complications with her medication.
Her loving husband Scott Mitchell confirmed the news, revealing Barbara had a pace-maker fitted during an eight-day hospital stay.
Scott told the Sun, "Barbara was suffering from a low heart rate which doctors thought was being caused by some of her medication. She's looking forward to getting out on the town again soon."
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Scott then revealed his 81-year-old wife was given the operation due to complications with her Alzheimer's medication. He added, "She was getting very dizzy and short of breath and fainted one day at home, so she had an eight-day hospital spell about four weeks ago and they've put in a pacemaker for her."
The news about Barbara living with Alzheimer's disease first broke back in May this year, with her husband confirming the news to the press, admitting she's been living with disease since April 2014.
He revealed how a 'definite continual confusion' has set in, making Barbara's symptoms a lot harder to hide.
Scott, who has been married to Barbara since 2000, revealed he wanted to make Barbara's illness public to help other families dealing with the same situation. The 55-year-old also confirmed that his wife gave him her blessing to tell her adoring fans about her diagnosis.
Since the diagnosis, many of Barbara's showbiz friends have spoken about the actress, including David Walliams, Ross Kemp and Pam St Clement.
Just a few weeks after Scott confirmed the news, Britain's Got Talent judge David posted a photo of the pair together as they enjoyed afternoon tea. He wrote, 'Afternoon tea with the woman of my dreams ever since I was a boy, the unbreakable Dame Barbara Windsor.'
According to the Alzheimer's Society, Alzheimer's disease is 'the most common cause of dementia. The word dementia describes a set of symptoms that can include memory loss and difficulties with thinking, problem-solving or language'.
Over 850,000 people in the UK are living with dementia, with the numbers expected to rise to over 1 million by 2025.
We wish Barbara a speedy recovery from her recent operation. ❤️
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