Jack Draper heartbreakingly opens up on grandmother’s Alzheimer’s battle

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Jack Draper has heartbreakingly opened up about his grandmother and her difficult battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

The British star, who made the semi-finals of the US Open earlier this year, recently took part on a Memory Walk to raise awareness about the horrible disease.


Draper says his grandmother ‘can’t always understand what’s going on’ and no longer recognises him.

And he’s also revealed his pain at seeing his loved ones struggling to cope, with his grandfather and mother providing care and support.

Jack Draper

Jack Draper has heartbreakingly opened up about his grandmother and her difficult battle with Alzheimer’s disease

BBC

“I always know she’s there in spirit, even if she can’t always understand what’s going on,” he told the BBC.

Draper then continued: “She got Alzheimer’s about 11 years ago now and has been on a slow deterioration over the last 11 years. Really tough to see.

“She was a huge part of my development growing up. In terms of my tennis, also just being an amazing grandma.

“Always had a trick up her sleeve when she was younger. She’d say ‘get that ball toss up Jack’.

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“This is still something I’m trying to do now, I’m 22 years old and 15 in the world. Maybe I need to start listening to what she used to say back in the day.

“Just an amazing woman. I know she’d be incredibly proud of this walk, and where I’m at with my tennis and hopefully who I am as a person as well.

“Obviously we’re here today for dementia, for the victims of this, for my nana.

“But when I think of it I think about my grandpa and my mum, these people who are around supporting and caring every day.

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“Alzheimer’s, obviously, is a long deterioration. So even if you might lose your mental health, you’re physically so capable still.

“It’s impossible to get that person in the shower and get them just to do anything, so it’s a huge effort and it’s not something that can come back and improve.

“I’m not sure about any decision-making, I just think it’s important to raise awareness.

“Not only for the dementia, the disease itself, but for the mental health of all the people who are caring and suffering because of this disease.”

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Jack Draper

Jack Draper’s grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s 11 years ago

BBC

Draper was speaking at a time when his fitness has caused concern.

The Briton was due to train with Carlos Alcaraz, the Spaniard who has won four Grand Slam titles throughout his career so far.

Yet Draper was forced to pull out due to a hip injury amid concerns he may not be able to compete for glory at the Australian Open in January.

He said: “I’ve been working incredibly hard the last couple of weeks to get myself to hopefully improve for next year.

Jack Draper

Jack Draper is looking to raise awareness amid his grandmother’s battle with Alzheimer’s disease

BBC

“I did have a little bit of a niggle in my hip area and in terms of going away to Spain and training at that level of intensity with Carlos I had to make that call because it’s not fair on him if I go and I am not 100 per cent.

“It was something that we were really excited about, and something me and [his coach] James [Trotman] had been talking about for a while.

“To try to go out and hit with the best players in the world and get that exposure to the highest level possible on a regular basis to get prepared for the New Year.”

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