https://www.penrithpanthers.com.au/news ... diagnosis/Penrith Panthers’ favourite son Royce Simmons has revealed he has been diagnosed as suffering Alzheimer’s disease at age 61. Typically of the man known as ‘Simmo’, the footy legend wants to use news of his dilemma to enhance the lives of others rather than his own, with a fundraising walk from his hometown of Gooloogong to Penrith in May, coinciding with the Panthers’ home clash with North Queensland.
For a man whose memory is no longer his best friend, the moment Royce Simmons knew all was not right inside his head remains vivid in his mind.
‘Simmo' and wife of 40 years, Leanne, had just arrived at seaside Kiama just south of Wollongong for a weekend away. Royce sat in the passenger seat with his left arm in a sling after a shoulder replacement as Leanne walked to the cabin door with a bottle of wine and a bag of ice.
Royce said to her, “When did you buy that?”. Leanne looked around, astonished, and replied, “We just stopped at the bottle shop; you sat in the car and watched me do it.” Simmo thought his wife “was talking the mickey” but she assured him she was serious.
With that, the seemingly unconquerable Panthers legend decided he better have his brain checked. Weeks later he was summoned by neurologist Dr Craig Presgrave to discuss the results of a series of scans that had been conducted at his Kingswood clinic.
“The doctor said, ‘You told me you’d had a few concussions over the years; there are a couple of white marks which may have been from the concussions,’ and I’m thinking, ‘That’s good; just a couple of marks from concussions’.
“Then he pointed to another part of the brain and said, ‘Around here, that’s all Alzheimer’s’. It was like someone had knocked me off my feet. The rest of the appointment is just a blur; I was so shocked, even though in the back of my mind I was worried something might show up.
“One of my first questions was, “Well how long before I won’t even know my family.”
Simmons is obviously aware that some may jump to conclusions and directly link his condition with concussions he suffered during his playing career but he says he has been given no evidence about the specific cause of his dementia.
And that’s the most pertinent point of Simmons going public with his condition. The cause, he says, is inconsequential.
What matters most to Simmons is shining a light on the impact of the insidious disease, particularly on the loved ones of those who are diagnosed.
He wants to use his plight to bring dementia into the public consciousness and raise much-needed funds for important research into the disease.
And that’s why he and Leanne, with the support of Panthers, Dementia Australia and other partners, have organised the inaugural Royce's Big Walk fundraising event.
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Simmons plans to walk almost 300 kilometres from his hometown of Gooloogong to the place in Penrith where his footy dreams were realised, now called BlueBet Stadium.
The walk will depart Gooloogong on Tuesday May 17 and Simmons will cross the finish line ahead of kick-off in the Panthers NRL game against the Cowboys on Friday May 27. The Panthers legend and several high profile supporters (who will walk with him) will conduct fundraising initiatives and hold events to support junior rugby league along the route.
with credit to Neil Cadigan and Penrith Panthers.