Emma Heming Willis has launched The Emma & Bruce Willis Fund for Dementia Research and Caregiver Support, honoring her husband Bruce Willis, who was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD).
Heming Willis announced the charity during the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration’s Hope Rising Benefit in New York. The fund aims to raise awareness, finance research, and support caregivers.
The organization supports grantees focused on FTD caregiving, brain health education, advocacy, and scientific research. It also provides resources and respite for caregivers.
Heming Willis accepted the award, emphasizing the need to support research and caregivers. "Through this fund, my hope is to help deepen understanding of FTD and ensure families facing it feel seen, supported and less alone," she stated.
Bruce Willis's family publicly shared his FTD diagnosis in February 2023, noting the lack of treatments and the hope for future advancements. They urged media focus on raising awareness and research for the disease.
FTD is a group of rare disorders affecting brain regions linked to personality and behavior. Aphasia can be a symptom, as seen in Willis's case. While memory is not a primary concern in early stages, symptoms worsen over time.
Heming Willis has spoken openly about her challenges as a caregiver, stressing the importance of self-care to effectively support loved ones.
"I have to make a conscious effort every single day to live the best life that I can," Heming Willis said. "I do that for myself. I do that for our two children, and Bruce."