Soap legend Julie Goodyear and the late Barbara Windsor have changed the future of dementia, here's how

EastEnders legend Dame Barbara Windsor and Coronation Street icon Julie Goodyear were both diagnosed with dementia but have made a huge difference for our future. The actresses were best known for playing Peggy Mitchell and Bet Lynch in the BBC and ITV soaps.

Barbara Windsor was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2014 and battled the illness for years before she died peacefully with her husband Scott Mitchell by her side in 2020 aged 83. He has since made it his mission to raise as much money and awareness for many Alzheimer’s and Dementia charities. 

In 2019 Scott inspired members of the EastEnders cast to run the London Marathon and helped raise a record-breaking £4 million for dementia research. He then became an ambassador for the Alzheimer’s Research UK. 

But it's not just Scott who is making an impact on the future of the illness. In August 2022 the Prime Minister at the time, Boris Johnson launched the Dame Barbara Windsor Dementia Mission, along with £95 million of funding. 

The Mission aims to speed up the development of new treatments for dementia and neurodegenerative conditions. It was announced in March 2024 that Scott Mitchell was appointed the People’s Champion for the Dementia Mission.

Coronation Street actress Julie Goodyear, 82, has been raising awareness for dementia since announcing she had been diagnosed with the condition in June 2023. In March 2024 the actress helped launch the new Alzheimer’s Society campaign in March 2024. The new TV AD campaign ‘The Long Goodbye’, highlights how the disease’s relentless progression causes people to ‘die again and again and again.’ 

These high-profile names in the entertainment industry have helped raise awareness of Alzheimer’s and Dementia and helped fund charities and research into the illness which could change our future and possibly wipe out the illness altogether. 

Dame Barbara Windsor has left a lasting legacy with the Dementia Mission and Scott continues to help charities. Julie Goodyear is living with the condition every day but that hasn't stopped her from reportedly “living a good life”.

Thanks to what these TV stars have done over the past few years, we can hope for a better future. Fighting the disease that doesn't just affect the person with the condition but the friends and family all around them. 

Natalie Dixon is NationalWorld’s Lifestyle reporter. If you liked this article and want to read more about soaps, celebrities and lifestyle you can follow Natalie Dixon on X here. 

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