- Claire Kendall
- BBC News
Jo Wilson died about three years after she was diagnosed with dementia
Jo Wilson was a well-respected international businesswoman and author when she found out she had dementia in 2020 at the age of 66. The BBC met with her husband after her death to discuss a campaign he recently launched in her name, which was inspired by his wife’s struggle with illness and the story of his support for her.
Bill Wilson said: “I want the whole world to talk about dementia, and I won’t be happy until that happens.”
Since the death of his wife last January, Bell has dedicated himself to launching a campaign to raise awareness of the disease and provide support for those affected.
He told the BBC he was sure Jo was looking down on him and saying, “You have to succeed.”
The BBC has been following the story of this couple from Newcastle since the summer of last year when Bill began struggling to find support, as well as highlighting the shortcomings of the welfare system.
The BBC also followed the story of Bill and his wife as they struggle to overcome the shortcomings of the dementia support system. Charities in England are calling on the government to prioritize care for people with this disease.
The couple would often wait for weeks to be able to enter the Bradbury Center in Newcastle, a specialist center for Jo Wilson’s ailment, due to delays caused by complex rules and procedures.
Jo’s husband, Bill Wilson, launched a dementia campaign after her death in February
“The system is on the brink of disaster,” said academic Professor Martin Green, of the charity Care England.
Green, who represents healthcare providers, stressed the need for “a clear, well-funded national strategy alongside the NHS, as the current system tends to exploit healthcare providers rather than support them”.
The Care Quality Commission said it was prioritizing registrations that helped secure more beds.
While Jo was waiting, her health was deteriorating and she continued to suffer from mental and physical health problems.
Jo stayed home for only three days before doctors determined she needed end-of-life care.
The decision marked a new chapter in the story of a husband and wife who were battling dementia, as it was assumed that while Jo would receive some support, Bill would rest.
Unfortunately, Jo died less than a week after moving there while Bill was at her side.
Jo was an author and international businesswoman
“I remember the strong, independent woman who always knew what she wanted,” Bell said. “It was my job to ensure that she had that right for the rest of her life.”
Bill and Joe first met as teenagers some fifty years ago.
It was a love story of a special kind, according to Bell, who said: “I didn’t care what kind of adversity might come our way, we were sure we would get through it together, and that’s what we did.”
After her condition was diagnosed, Jo began receiving day care at the Bradbury Centre, which is run by the charity Dementia Matters. Because Bell and Jo had savings, this did not entitle them to obtain funding from the local authority for treatment, so they had to pay for Jo’s care.
And during the most difficult times during Jo’s health care, the staff and CEO of the center, Bev Reid, have spared no effort to provide support for Jo and Bill.
Jo relied on medical care providers who made home visits to her in the morning and evening.
Joe Wilson was diagnosed with dementia in 2020
After those home visits were interrupted by staff shortages, Ride arranged for some caregivers to be present at the center to help Jo get some tea and get her to bed, enabling Bell to take her home each night.
“I owe Bev my life,” Bell said. “If it weren’t for her, I probably wouldn’t be here.”
He added, “She knew very well when I was at my worst, and how to deal with that. For me, she is an undisputed star.”
Joe’s funeral was held on February 21, after she passed away at the age of 69.
Two weeks after the funeral, Bell returned to the Bradbury Dementia Centre, where his wife had died.
Joe’s funeral took place last February
There was a picture of Joe sitting with some flowers in the center’s parlor.
It was a new beginning and a new challenge for Bill.
Bill and Bev Ride teamed up to launch a campaign, fundraise for dementia patients, and raise awareness of the disease, which was launched in Joe’s name.
It’s a “cruel, awful disease,” Bev Ride said.
She and Belle provide support to as many patients and their families as possible, emphasizing that “no one should be left to go through this horrific, difficult time on their own”.
Bill was always at Jo’s service, supporting her during her illness
Together, the two plan to talk to the families of people with this disease about dementia, and to speak at conferences about the same thing, in addition to intensifying efforts to collect donations and providing all the necessary information and guidance on the benefits and support that patients and their families can receive.
Bill and Reid expressed their frustration with government policies that did not lead to any improvement in medical care for dementia patients.
She told the BBC: “How many years has it been since we heard that dementia was being prioritized, that things were going to change? But nothing seems to have happened yet.”
“We need some political will to be able to get through this fog, which I find very big and expensive,” Bell said.
Jo has received support from some charities
The Alzheimer’s Association expressed concern about the declining rate of diagnoses of cases with the disease, stressing that the government should give dementia a priority in health care.
“There is no support or care, and the result is hospitalizations, often in crisis. We need support and focus right away,” said Fiona Carragher, director of research at the Alzheimer’s Society.
British Health Secretary Helen Whitley said she wanted the government to “do everything it can to help these people and their families”.
She added, “This means that there will be an early diagnosis of these people, and the provision of care and support to those who need them, in addition to providing information and counseling for everyone.”
Bell continues to campaign on behalf of dementia sufferers
The health secretary also confirmed that the government will invest £7.2 billion in healthcare in the next two years, on top of £17 million allocated to reducing dementia waiting lists and increasing diagnosis rates.
“I always feel like I have to do my best every day to help those who need us,” says Ride.
And for Bill, the memory of Joe is always at the top of his mind.
“There is more to life than this disease,” Bell says. “Look beyond that, look at the people you love the most.”
As Bill said at his wife Jo Wilson’s funeral, they never went a day without love and laughter.