Scott Mitchell, husband of the late EastEnders star Barbara Windsor, has said that he campaigns for Alzheimer's disease in order to honour his late wife's legacy.
Dame Barbara Windsor, renowned for playing the formidable Peggy Mitchell on Albert Square along with Steve McFadden and Ross Kemp, died in December 2020, having been diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2014.
Mitchell, who had been married to Windsor from 2000 until her death, has worked with various organisations, including Alzheimer's Society, and has called on the UK Government to improve its care for patients who are battling dementia.
Up until last year, Mitchell had also served as an ambassador for Alzheimer's Research UK, before stepping down last year. He has also run the London Marathon in order to raise awareness and funds for the condition.
Speaking to the Press Association, Scott Mitchell has said that the UK Government must make the public know that dementia care "is a priority" and that it is "doing something" to improve this.
"To be a carer for someone with dementia is all-consuming", Mitchell shared.
"It is heartbreaking to watch someone you love slowly disappearing in front of your eyes, and you can feel very alone and very isolated - and very helpless to the person that you love, because you know they will go through all different kinds of symptoms".
Mitchell continued: "Not everyone has the same journey, but a large majority of people that I speak to when I go out and do talks share some of the experiences that I did, and they’re ones that never leave you.
"I’ve got nothing personal to gain from this campaigning. I don’t get paid for anything I do", he added. "I do it because I feel so passionately about it, and Barbara started this with us, and I owe it to her and her legacy to see it through for as long as I can".
When asked what his message to British Prime Minister Kier Starmer, and Health Secretary, Wes Steering, Scott Mitchell said: "Give dementia parity with other illnesses and topics they message to the public".
"It’s bad enough a loved one can forget you, let alone on top of that a government seemingly forgets you, too".
Following Windsor's death in 2020, it had emerged that donations to Alzheimer's research had rose by an incredible 300/%. More on this story from Nova here.
Paying tribute to Windsor back in 2020, EastEnders released this statement.
"We are all deeply saddened that we've lost our Dame. From the moment Babara stepped foot in Walford, she created an icon in Peggy Mitchell, as our formidable landlady who the audience instantly fell in love with", they said.
"But to all of us at Eastenders, she was our dear friend, who was truly loved and adored by everyone. Our thoughts go out to Scott, and Barbara's family. Rest in Peace, Dame Barbara Windsor MBE".
