Sir Jackie Stewart opens up on heartbreak of dementia: "I leave in tears"

The three-time Formula 1 champion Sir Jackie Stewart has recently shared details regarding his wife Lady Helen Stewart, her ongoing battle with dementia, and the emotional strain it's put on himself as he witnesses his wife of 60 years struggle with the disease. 

The 85-year-old driver, who is still deeply engrained within F1 and other motorsport, discussed with the BBC a time where Lady Helen, sat beside him, asked where he was. 

"Just the other day it was time for dinner, she's getting up and I'm sitting close by, and she says, 'Where's Jackie?' That's the first time that's happened and that's only a few weeks ago," he said. "A bad feeling came over me."

Lady Stewart's condition was first diagnosed in 2014 after a car accident led to her assessment. Her husband has been there for her since, caring for his loved one. 

Sir Jackie further described his wife's behaviour as she struggled with her illness, including uncharacteristic aggression and bad language. 

 "I know that Helen doesn't mean it when she suddenly goes round and hits me, or the [specialist dementia] nurses," he admitted. "She can hit somebody quite often, she uses language that she's never ever said in her life and it comes like that [clicks his fingers] and I say 'darling, darling, don't say that'. She says 'Why?' And she'll give me a row for doing that. That's usually after 17:00."

This change in behaviour, a phenomenon known as sundowning, sees people with dementia experience confusion, anxiety, and agitation in the late afternoon and evening. Carers who specialise in dementia support make sure they adapt their care for this reason. Lady Helen now receives this style of care in an accessible home in Switzerland, something that can be afforded only thanks to the former team owner's strong and fruitful racing career.

Due to this experience, Sir Jackie has looked further into the effects of dementia, beyond his own family. Visiting other care facilities left a lasting impression on him. "I visit homes for people with dementia and I leave in tears because people are completely lost," he added.

Sir Jackie Stewart on the grid with Lando Norris, McLaren F1 Team

Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images

Being told after his wife's diagnosis that there was nothing that could be done, Sir Jackie started the charity Race Against Dementia in 2016. 

"For 50 years, there has been no cure for dementia. Now I want to change that in my lifetime if possible, and that's asking a lot," he stated. “We think that it’s youth that’s going to do it because the establishment have failed.

“So it’s got to be young people who are going to look at it in a different way a different angle, and find a cure and with the support that we have, financially, we can spend more money on getting equipment that previously has been unavailable. So that’s part of the need to do events such as race against dementia.”

The charity has successfully funded 18 researchers as of last year and is working on a blood test trial that's been developed by Cambridge University. This aims to detect dementia 20 years before diagnosis. 

"I want this [a cure] to happen just as much as I wanted to be world champion," Sir Jackie said. "It's terribly important."