Maureen McGovernis bravely facing a potentially devastating diagnosis.
The Grammy Award nominee, 73, announced that she’s been diagnosed with posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) and is showing symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease in an emotional, yet optimistic statement onFacebookand herwebsiteFriday.
“What I do, or what I am still able to accomplish, has changed. I can no longer travel or perform in live concerts. In fact, I can no longer drive — how’s that for a kick in the butt?” McGovern wrote.
PCA is described as a degenerative neurological syndrome that causes difficulty with eyesight and processing visual information, according to theMayo Clinic. The condition can also cause cognitive decline over time.
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“Of course, it’s a challenge, but it certainly is not going to keep me from living my life. At first, I began having trouble finding, in my brain, the words I wanted to say,” McGovern said. “I struggled with the inevitable shock with fear and frankly hopelessness.”
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McGovern explained that she plans to continue singing and writing songs for children, in addition to raising awareness for music therapy.
“We are all patients and caregivers at some time in our lives. I have experienced how music and the arts free our spirits and opens our hearts to our common humanity,” she said. “I hope you will continue to join me on these next endeavors.”
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McGovern sang one other song that won the Best Original Song Oscar: “We May Never Love Like This Again,” which she performed onscreen in 1974’sThe Towering Inferno. She was also the singer of “Wherever Love Takes Me,” which was nominated for Best Original Song the same year, fromGold.
source: people.com
