Shameless star Anne-Marie Duff reveals brother's death after heartbreaking health battle
Shameless star Anne-Marie Duff has revealed that her brother has died after a heartbreaking health battle.Anne-Marie, 55, confirmed that her brother Eddie passed away earlier this year following a battle with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. According to the NHS, Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia in the UK.Dementia is the name for a group of symptoms associated with an ongoing decline of brain functioning. It can affect memory, thinking skills and other mental abilities.The exact cause of Alzheimer's disease is not yet fully understood.Click here to get the biggest stories straight to your inbox in our Daily NewsletterHowever, a number of things are thought to increase your risk of developing the condition. These include increasing age. a family history of the condition, untreated depression, although depression can also be one of the symptoms, lifestyle factors and conditions associated with cardiovascular disease.Taking to Instagram, Anne-Marie confirmed that her brother Eddie, who was aged in his mid 50s, died this year after a 15-year battle with the disease. The Bad Sisters actress is raising money for the Alzheimer’s Society in his memory.Sharing a picture of her and Eddie from when they were children, Anne-Marie said that she will be walking 26 miles around central London next month in a bid to raise funds for the Alzheimer’s charity.She captioned her post: “On May 9th I will be walking, with many other supporters of the Alzheimer’s Society, 26 miles around the centre of London for this year’s Trek26. I am doing this in honour of my big brother Eddie who passed away earlier this year.“He was diagnosed with very early onset dementia in his forties. For those who knew him, he was the life and soul of every party, funny, kind and an extraordinarily loyal friend.“He gave me any ounce of cool that I may have- forcing me to swap pop music for Bowie, The Velvet Underground, Joy Division, The Beatles…. I will miss his cheeky smile and all of those gorgeous giggles. Mostly the dancing.”Anne-Marie added: “I would be so grateful if you felt able to support me through the linked justgiving page. Not just for Eddie, but all the people you love living with dementia.”Among those who shared the post was Anne-Marie’s former husband and Shameless co-star James McAvoy. The pair tied the knot back in 2006, going on to welcome their son Brandan, who is now 16.Fans of the couple were left stunned back in 2016, when they announced that they were splitting up. A statement released at the time read: “We enter this next phase with continued friendship, love and respect for one another and the shared focus of caring for our son.”
