Vicky McClure fears she could get dementia.
The 35-year-old actress – whose grandmother Iris passed away in 2015 after suffering from the debilitating condition – has brought together singers who all have some form of dementia for the two-part documentary ‘My Dementia Choir’, and admitted she has considered the possibility she could be diagnosed with the memory-declining condition, but doesn’t want to dwell on such thoughts.
She said: "I’ve got to be open in this process. I can’t not ask those awkward questions. It’s an obvious question, seeing as it seems to run in the family now. It is what it is.
"I don’t know what I’m going to die of. It could be dementia.
"I’ve thought of it but what can you do about it? Of course there’s going to be that fear it could be me.
"I did get asked in the documentary, we did discuss it. You can have a test that can potentially give you an idea whether or not you might hold the gene or have the possibility of getting dementia. I would not want to know."
While the ‘Line of Duty’ star has spoken openly about her fears, she doesn’t want to dwell on what may or may not happen because "life is too short".
He said: "I’d rather just let life do what it’s gonna do. I could get hit by a bus. Life is too short to sit there waiting, after this person has said because I have had a test, this is going to happen.
"You’ve just got to live your life and enjoy every day."
The documentary examines how dementia sufferers can be helped by better funding, more research and technology.
And Vicky recalled of how her grandmother Iris – who had a "cracking" sense of humour – lost her personality to dementia but admitted music therapy helped her change her mood.
The actress said: "She had a cracking sense of humour and a very dirty laugh. The dementia stripped all that – it leaves the shell of you.
"I also saw how music helped, changing her mood, calming her down and for a while bringing us back the old Nana."
Vicky McClure fears dementia
