University News Last updated 18 January 2012
Former GMTV presenter Fiona Phillips is backing a charity event run by Birmingham City University to raise funds for an Alzheimer’s support centre.
Fiona, who was bought up in Pembrokeshire, is a passionate supporter of the Alzheimer’s Society after having to endure the heartache of watching both her Mother and Father suffer with the disease. She is supporting the University’s ‘Brains of BCU’ quiz, taking place at the University on Tuesday 31st January 2012.
Fiona became well known for her warm and chatty personality as a presenter on GMTV, a position she held for over ten years. She was appointed an anchor in 1997 and famously impressed two successive Prime Ministers (in Tony Blair and Gordon Brown) with her friendly presenting style.
However, the burden of trying to juggle a young family with a successful TV career whilst trying to care for her ill parents led to Fiona making the difficult decision to quit GMTV in December 2008.
Since then, Fiona has worked tirelessly to raise funds for the Alzheimer’s Society and has appeared in a number of documentaries on BBC and Channel 4 to raise awareness of the condition.
Now, Fiona is lending her support to the ‘Brains of BCU’ initiative, which will see staff and students battle it out in a fun quiz, increasing understanding of the disease and raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society. “I am delighted that Birmingham City University are supporting Alzheimer's Society. I have very fond memories of my student days in Birmingham, mainly of the Shakespeare pub!” Fiona said.
Birmingham City University is a leader in the field of mental health care, training countless people to work with patients suffering from mental health conditions as well as carrying out research to improve the care of people with Dementia.
Fiona explained: “Families can suffer when a relative develops Alzheimer’s or Dementia, so it’s really important that proper support is available for both those suffering with the condition and their families.
“Both my Mum and now my Dad were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. If you know someone with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, you will know how devastating it is for everyone concerned and how frightening and distressing it can be for those who have the illness.”
You can help support the fundraising by registering a team for the quiz on the Brains of BCU website or by donating on the JustGiving page.