Latest news with #weddingvows
Telegraph
12-06-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
My wife's life was dedicated to finding a dementia cure. Then at 50 she was diagnosed with it
In 2023, my wife, Carol, and I renewed our wedding vows as part of a campaign for the Alzheimer's Society. She had lost the ability to speak by then, after living with the disease for more than a decade, yet she opened her eyes and her mouth puckered up when I leant over to kiss her. Our marriage lasted nearly 45 years until Carol's death, and for 12 of those I was her carer. People assume that was a sacrifice for me, but the opposite is true – looking after her was the greatest privilege. The first time we exchanged vows was in 1979. She was a primary school teacher and I worked at a university – later I would go on to be a clergyman and historical author. Carol was warm, confident and headstrong, with her shining eyes. In the same year that our daughter Emily was born, Carol's lovely father, Walter, became unwell with shingles and never seemed to recover. A year later, he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, at 58. In the next two years, so had four of his siblings – Carol's aunts and uncles – who were only in their 50s. At that time, doctors believed Alzheimer's was purely an illness of the unfortunate elderly, and genetics wasn't thought to play any part. When our second child, John, arrived three years later, we were overjoyed. The only cloud on the horizon was Carol's conviction that there was a genetic connection to her family and Alzheimer's. She refused to let it go, and in 1986, she responded to an advertisement that was placed in an Alzheimer's Society newsletter, from researchers at University College London (UCL) who were studying the disease and looking for families with two or more members affected by Alzheimer's. Sure enough, Carol was proved right. By 1991, those UCL scientists had identified a gene that all her affected family members shared. It's arguably the most important breakthrough made in the history of this disease, and galvanised researchers to target the causes of dementia rather than just treating the symptoms. Instead of falling apart, Carol committed to supporting research into the disease and co-ordinated her family members to take part too. Every year, she travelled from our Midlands home to London for MRI scans, blood tests and cognitive testing. And over the course of her doing this for decades, scientists were able to identify the first known genetic cause of the disease, in research part-funded by Alzheimer's Society: a mutation to the amyloid precursor protein (APP) gene which caused too much amyloid protein to build up in the brain, clumping together to form plaques and resulting in brain cells dying. Although Carol was offered a test to see if she had the gene, she chose not to. 'Well, if there's no treatment that can stop it, or even slow it down yet, then what's the point?' she'd say. 'I could get run over by a bus tomorrow, I've got a good life and I'd rather not know whether it's going to be shorter than I'd hoped for.' Carol always looked on the bright side. As I was a Methodist church minister, our family moved parishes every few years and Carol had always been brilliant at organising the upheaval. Yet, around the age of 50, she suddenly became more overwhelmed with the packing: she was more forgetful, and it distressed her. Our children, by then grown up, noticed she had stopped phoning them as much and asking them about their lives. Just before Christmas in 2012, Carol was diagnosed with 'mild cognitive impairment'. We all knew what it meant. And the doctors knew our family well by then. She sat calmly listening as this dreaded news was delivered. It was me who broke down in tears; I'd always imagined it would be the other way round. The following months were hard for Carol. She would wake up crying some nights, knowing precisely the future awaiting her. Her whole raison d'etre for years had been to drive forward the search for a cure, but overnight it had morphed into learning to cope as someone living with dementia. She was determined to carry on giving herself to the research, even though the lumbar punctures weren't nice. 'Well, I've come this far,' she would say. Knowing that our children both had a 50-50 chance of developing Alzheimer's in the future, Carol longed for a cure or drug to at least slow the disease's progression. 'If not in time for me, then for the next generation,' she said. My role became to support Carol as best I could, to help soothe all the anxieties that are ramped up with Alzheimer's. While she was in the milder, earlier stages of dementia, Carol and I shared those difficult conversations about the future. We both knew it was important to sort out our finances and get power of attorney in place. We also talked about what would happen as the disease progressed. We wanted to keep her at home as long as possible, though she hated the idea of losing her dignity and wanted me to get help when the time came to look after the more personal care: washing and using the loo. Living through a loved one's Alzheimer's decline has been likened to watching a sandcastle. Little bits of sand trickle away gradually and often imperceptibly, but there are also times when unexpectedly larger chunks fall off the castle because of this gradual consistent trickle. This is exactly how it felt as she transitioned from early dementia to the later stages. We were lucky enough to have had incredible support from our GP, social workers, care agency staff and Admiral nurses, when the time came for back-up. And of course, the love and support of our children, John and Emily, and Emily's daughter, Eleanor, who would come and stroke her granny's hand. Emily and John face the dilemma of whether to undergo genetic testing, which they will do one day, when they are ready. The doctors have all Carol's scans over the years showing the increasingly dark spaces that overtook her brain as the disease took hold. John has looked at all these with the doctor, but I can't bear to. Instead, I prefer to look at the memory book I would pore over many times with Carol – all our happy photographs from the sum of a wonderful life. During the pandemic, Carol lost the ability to walk, or negotiate stairs and struggled to feed herself. Then from 2021 her condition escalated at a frightening pace as she started having major seizures that robbed her of any mobility – incontinence became an issue – and eventually ended any speech, apart from the occasional yes and no. I'd hug her, kiss her head and hold her hand to feel close to her. Of course there were challenging times when I'd need to leave the room to take a moment. But while our love changed shape, it never left us. I didn't see the disease; I still saw Carol as the woman I loved up until the day she drew her last breath last March. Because Carol had continued to be so involved at the Dementia Research Centre, I had promised I would ensure her brain was donated to medical research, come what may. As Christians it seemed a particularly fitting day to die on Good Friday, but it proved an extra practical challenge getting urgent refrigeration on a bank holiday. I made sure it happened though – I couldn't have let her down on her final wish. Alzheimer's Society uses the forget-me-not as its emblem, and I planted these pretty blue flowers in our garden. They blossomed just before Carol died. She was 70. Thanks to Carol and all the dedicated scientists working in this sphere, I'm optimistic we will be able to test for Alzheimer's much sooner and have drugs available to slow the disease down. There is still progress to be made, but I take great comfort in the fact that Carol contributed so much to this fight. As told to Susanna Galton
Daily Mail
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Brittany Hockley reveals awkward wedding vow blunder after marrying Swiss footballer Ben Siegrist in Bali
Brittany Hockley has opened up about the hilarious blunder she made while rehearsing her wedding vows with her Swiss footballer fiancé Ben Siegrist. The former Bachelor star, 37, revealed on the Life Uncut podcast that she tried to speak her vows in German to surprise her European partner - but did not do a very good job. 'I learned my vows in German, so I could surprise Ben at the end of the aisle... It wasn't supposed to be comedy, but Ben found it very funny,' Brittany began. Ben, 33, jumped in to reveal what Brittany's mangled vows, during a practice run, actually meant in German. 'She said, "I love you, tit fish",' he revealed. 'I almost said, "I love you, big tit fish!" Brittany added. Fortunately, Brittany's mishap only occurred during a rehearsal and the actual ceremony went off without a hitch. It comes after Brittany married her Swiss footballer fiancé Ben Siegrist during a 'three-day extravaganza' clifftop ceremony in Bali last week. But there was just one 'minor technical detail' about the spectacular nuptials - the marriage is not legal. Brittany revealed the shock news to her KIIS FM's The Pick Up listeners on Tuesday. 'You just got married in Bali,' Brittany's long-time best friend and co-host Laura Byrne said. 'We obviously can talk about how amazing that is, but now that we're here, we're also going to talk about how it's not legally binding yet.' 'It's a big show really,' the bride admitted, joking that the wedding 'was fake'. The former Bachelor star revealed on the Life Uncut podcast that she tried to speak her vows in German - but did not do a very good job 'It's complicated. My husband Ben is fully Swiss, but he lives in Italy. I'm Australian and we got married in Bali. Way too many technicalities going on to make it legal, so we are just going to legally do it back here in Australia. 'The paperwork gets signed shortly - but let's not focus on that.' The couple's wedding took place at Pandawa Cliff Estate, which promises a 'dramatic and romantic clifftop setting overlooking the Indian Ocean' and stunning views of Bali's Bukit Peninsula. The 37-year-old was ever the blushing bride on her big day, walking down the aisle in a strapless dress by Steven Khalil which featured a lace corset with dramatic long train. Brittany and Ben gave followers a glimpse into the nuptials, sharing a duo of loved-up snaps from the big day to Instagram. One showed Ben romantically embracing his new bride as he leaned in for a newlywed kiss. 'From the very first day, it was you,' Brittany captioned the images. 'Across any ocean, it is you. For the rest of our lives, it will always be you. Mr and Mrs Siegrist 4.6.2025,' she added, augmenting the sentiment with love heart emojis. The Life Uncut podcast announced Brittany's engagement to Ben last year. Brittany, who formerly described herself as 'the perpetually single host', had been dating Ben long-distance for eight months when he popped the question. The duo met in November 2022 on the celebrity dating app Raya. At the time the goalkeeper's soccer team, the Glasgow-based Celtic FC, was playing in Australia against Sydney FC.
Daily Mail
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Hollyoaks icon Kieron Richardson renews wedding vows with husband Carl Hyland in lavish beach ceremony surrounded by his co-stars
Hollyoaks icon Kieron Richardson has renewed his wedding vows with husband Carl Hyland during a lavish beach ceremony in Portugal. The actor, 36 - who plays Ste Hay in the soap - was surrounded by his co-stars as they marked a decade since saying 'I do'. The couple looked dapper in matching cream suits, teamed with crisp white shirts and stylish suede loafers. Kieron and Carl accessorised with dark sunglasses as they celebrated at stunning beach venue, The Bold Octopus. Ruby O'Donnell and Kirsty-Leigh Porter, who play Kieron's on-screen family, were in attendance to support the star, as the trio posed for playful snaps. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the Daily Mail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. The guest list also included Jennifer Metcalfe, Nadine Mulkerrin, Jorgie Porter, Jessica Fox and Anna Passey. The soap star came out as gay live on This Morning to host Phillip Schofield 12 years ago. He married long-term partner Carl in April 2015 in a ceremony in the Peak District. The couple announced they were expecting twins in December 2016 and they welcomed Chase and Phoebe Ray to their family in 2017. When Kieron came out in 2010, his character on Hollyoaks was coming to terms with his own sexuality as he fell for bad boy Brendan Brady. Helping Kieron to come out in 2010, Phillip - who later revealed he was gay - said to him: 'Of course, this is on the telly and this is part of a character, but there are elements here that are in actual fact quite close to your life yourself. And what would they be?' Kieron then revealed his truth as he responded: 'The fact that I am gay in real life and at 20 years old I have kind of accepted it myself. Now I can finally relate to my character Ste, that he's 20 and he's going through things that I went through in my past.' Phillip then added: 'The people that know you will know that this is no great surprise there, because your friends know, your work colleagues know, you've had the conversation with your parents, but you've never actually said it out loud.' Kieron continued to say that during his time on Dancing On Ice, earlier that same year, bosses offered him the chance to reveal his sexuality on the show. He declined as he didn't want his personal life to over shadow his time in the competition. Keiron said: 'But now I feel that it's relevant and the storyline is relevant to some situations in my life and if maybe I could help people who are going through the same thing, then it's a bonus.' Days before the vow renewal, Jennifer turned heads as she and her co-star Nadine hit a beach club in Portugal. The Hollyoaks star, 41, looked incredible in a skimpy brown bikini, which showcased her toned physique, as she enjoyed a break from her hectic schedule. The stylish two-piece consisted of a triangle bikini top and matching high-leg bottoms and featured gold-toned hardware. The beauty accessorised her look with gold hoop earrings and trendy shades as she styled her brunette tresses in a chic updo. Her co-star Nadine, 31, who stars as Cleo McQueen in the Channel 4 soap, flaunted her enviable figure in a stylish black bandeau bikini top and matching low-rise bottoms. She completed her look with a gold pendant necklace and a black wide-brim beach hat as she enjoyed a glass of bubbly with her best pal. The beach club was aesthetically decorated and featured large sunbeds, a round pool, and a private dining area with a rustic table setting. Sharing the snaps to Instagram, Jennifer captioned the post: 'Beautiful day ☀️ ❤️ My little fellow ratty head @nadinemulkerrin.'
The Sun
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Hollyoaks legend renews wedding vows in lavish beach ceremony surrounded by emotional co-stars
A HOLLYOAKS fan-favourite has renewed his wedding vows in a lavish beach ceremony. The Channel 4 star, who shares two children with his partner, pulled out all the stops to mark a decade since they originally said I Do. 6 6 6 Actor Kieron Richardson, 39, and hubby Carl Hyland looked suave as they donned matching crisp white shirts and ecru suit jackets and trousers for the ceremony in Portugal. Both accessorised with sunglasses and held hands after their sweet beach-side renewal. The Bold Octopus in Quinta do Lago, Amancil, proved the perfect host venue for Kieron, who played Hollyoaks' Ste Hay, and a slew of his co-stars too. On the guest list was Jennifer Metcalfe, Jorgie Porter, Jessica Fox and Anna Passey to name a few. Hollyoaks boss Hannah Cheers was also in attendance for the heart-warming day of celebration. Nadine Mulkerrin, who plays Cleo McQueen, too to Instagram to celebrate the moment and wrote in her caption: "Thank you to Kieron & Carl for the most memorable bank holiday weekend!!! "If me and Rory ever get married, it better have the same energy and playlist as your ten year renewal!! "Beautiful friends, how lucky are we." HAPPY CHAPTER Kieron and his husband married in 2015 and announced that they had become parents to twins on May 22, 2017. In a sweet Twitter post, Kieron revealed that the children's names are Chase Hyland-Richardson and Phoebe Hyland-Richardson. Inside Hollyoaks star Kieron Richardson's incredible Cheshire mansion as he transforms it into a Christmas grotto - six weeks early The couple previously had four failed attempts at IVF with a surrogate, before getting pregnant. In an interview with The Sun in 2021, Kieron insisted wouldn't do a reality show featuring his children. He had previously starred in a documentary about surrogacy alongside Carl but said he believed a family reality show would be 'too exposing'. The British Soap Award winner explained: 'I put pictures online but that is probably all we would do. Hollyoaks - cast member cull HOLLYOAKS beauty Chelsee Healey has dropped the biggest hint yet she's been axed from the soap - yet what's happening at the Channel 4 show? Earlier this year, the Channel 4 soap was forced to address the cull of cast members. It came after The Sun was first to report Hollyoaks bosses plan to kill off a whopping 20 cast members. Now Chelsee, who recently took time away from her role as Goldie McQueen to give birth to her second daughter, has now made a cryptic move on X. The Manchester lass, 36, re-posted a picture of her character crying to her page. It came after Stephanie Waring, famed for her 28-year-long role as Cindy Cunningham, confirmed that soap bosses had axed her as part of the 20-person strong cast cull. Another big name set to quit for good is popstar turned soap star Jamelia. The soap's resident hunk and TV favourite Owen Warner has also left the show amid the cuts with fans left devastated to say goodbye to his character Romeo Nightingale. Jamie Lomas has also quit the show and will depart his Warren Fox role soon. Haiesha Mistry famed for her role as Yasmine Maalik has also left after seven years. 'We did the surrogacy thing to help people because when we started, not many people had done it before so there were loads of questions I wanted answered. "I feel like we did that and that is covered now.' Asked if he would do a family reality show, he said: 'No, I don't think I would be up for that because I do like to have my private life. It's too exposing.' 6 6 6
