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Wendy Williams<\/strong><\/a> has been diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia.<\/p>\n The conditions, which Wendy learned she had in 2023, have \u201cpresented significant hurdles in Wendy\u2019s life,\u201d according to a \u200bFebruary 22, 2024, press release from a representative for the former talk show host.<\/p>\n \u201cWendy would not have received confirmation of these diagnoses were it not for the diligence of her current care team, who she chose, and the extraordinary work of the specialists at Weill Cornell Medicine,\u201d the statement read, in part.<\/p>\n Despite The \u200bWendy Williams Show<\/em> alum\u2019s health challenges, she is still able to \u201cdo many things for herself\u201d amid her treatment, per the release. \u201cMost importantly she maintains her trademark sense of humor and is receiving the care she requires to make sure she is protected and that her needs are addressed,\u201d it continued.<\/p>\n The statement concluded with, \u201cShe is appreciative of the many kind thoughts and good wishes being sent her way.\u201d<\/p>\n Primary progressive aphasia is a type of dementia that impacts the frontal or temporal areas of the brain, according to the Mayo Clinic. It can affect a person\u2019s ability to communicate effectively, as well as the way they write and understand language.<\/p>\n Symptoms of aphasia include speaking in short or incomplete sentences and speaking in sentences that don\u2019t make sense.<\/p>\n Although the disorder is often caused by a stroke or head injury, it can also result from a degenerative disease, per Mayo Clinic. In addition to treating the condition that causes it, speech therapy is often recommended to improve difficulties with language.<\/p>\n Her diagnosis came after years of public concern<\/a> about the media personality\u2019s health. Wendy\u2019s representative said sharing her diagnosis with fans was an attempt to \u201ccorrect inaccurate and hurtful rumors about her health.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOver the past few years, questions have been raised at times about Wendy\u2019s ability to process information and many have speculated about Wendy\u2019s condition, particularly when she began to lose words, act erratically at times, and have difficulty understanding financial transactions,\u201d the February 22, 2024, statement explained. \u201cReceiving a diagnosis has enabled Wendy to receive the medical care she requires.\u201d<\/p>\n During the two-part Lifetime docuseries Where Is Wendy Williams?,<\/em>\u00a0her son, Kevin Hunter Jr.<\/strong>, revealed that doctors believed Wendy was suffering from alcohol-related dementia.<\/p>\n \u201c[Doctors] basically said that because she was drinking so much, it was starting to affect her headspace and her brain,\u201d Kevin explained.<\/p>\n Of the talk show alum\u2019s \u200b\u201dalcohol-induced\u201d diagnosis, Kevin continued, \u201cI was able to really learn more about things going on with my mother internally.\u201d<\/p>\n Alcohol-related dementia is caused by the long-term consumption of the substance and presents with symptoms similar to age-related dementia, including memory problems and trouble with emotional regulation.<\/p>\n Wendy has a history of health problems which caused her to step away from hosting her daytime talk show in \u200b2021.<\/p>\n In February 2018, Wendy announced she would be taking a three-week break<\/a> from her show after she was diagnosed with Graves\u2019 disease<\/a>, an autoimmune disorder that causes an overactive thyroid and can result in serious health complications, per the National Institutes of Health.<\/p>\n Wendy has also spoken about her battle with lymphedema, which is characterized by swelling in a person\u2019s arm or leg due to a lymphatic system blockage, per Mayo Clinic. In June 2022, she said during an interview with TMZ<\/em> she could \u201conly feel maybe five percent of [her] feet\u201d due to the condition.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nWhat Is Aphasia Dementia?<\/h2>\n
What Symptoms Did Wendy Williams Have Before Her Dementia Diagnosis?<\/h2>\n
What Is Alcohol-Related Dementia?<\/h2>\n
What Other Health Problems Does Wendy Williams Have?<\/h2>\n