Dean Windass gives a poignant update on his dementia diagnosis in a live TV interview on ITV’s Good Morning Britain this week.
At 56, the EFL legend expressed regret over learning of his stage 2 dementia diagnosis, stating he wishes he hadn’t undergone the brain scan that revealed it, as “it would be better not to know.”
Diagnosed in January 2024, Windass described the moment he received the news as frightening, noting that while his dementia is currently mild, the condition could progress over the next five to ten years.
He admitted to experiencing memory lapses, like forgetting names, but is supported by his fiancée, Kerry Kehoe, who helps manage his daily life.
Windass also voiced concerns for his sons, both footballers, urging them to minimise heading the ball in training due to its potential link to his condition.
Despite the emotional weight, he tries to maintain humour and live normally, focusing on raising awareness to help others.
Good afternoon, got a good weekend ahead
Just an update from me on my dementia diagnosis and @supreme_cbd Thank you to @afowler06 for sorting me out with some products to help
Windass40 will get you 40% off on https://t.co/t2U8auYqo9 #supremecbd #ad pic.twitter.com/lmaqlVLDuT— Dean Windass (@DWindass10) April 11, 2025
‘John [Stiles] asked me about a year and half ago [to get a scan] and I declined,’ he said to presenters Ed Balls and Ranvir Singh.
‘I said “No, I’m not interested really to find out”, and he was expressing about the football families and how a lot of ex footballers have passed away [from dementia].
‘He said, “Look it might help a lot of people”, so I was sort of a guinea pig to go into this scan machine. There’s a lot of footballers that won’t do it because they don’t want to know the outcome. I wish I wouldn’t have gone in now, but it’s happened.’
Ed asked what he meant by saying he wished he hadn’t done the scan, Dean, who was joined by his fiancee Kerry Kehoe, replied: ‘Yeah, because then I wouldn’t have known would I? It would be better not to know.
‘They said this is the diagnosis, it’s very mild. You have nothing to worry about at this stage. It could be five to ten years that it could develop to bigger stages, so it wasn’t the news that I wanted. I was scared Ed, I was scared, of course I was.
‘I do forget a lot of things of course, but Kerry runs everything for me. I’m 56 now, so of course I forget names and forget things, but I don’t know if I’m over thinking subconsciously. Kerry will ask me everyday “Do you know what you’re doing this week?”‘
Kerry said they don’t speak about the diagnosis together and that they initially ‘buried our heads in the sand’.
‘The reason that I didn’t come out and speak about it a year and a half ago was that my eldest son is a professional footballer and my youngest son was a professional footballer but plays amateur football now,’ he explained.
‘I didn’t want my mum to worry, I didn’t want my kids to worry, I didn’t want her [Kerry’s] family to worry.
‘It’s not just football matches, it’s training everyday, the repetition of heading balls everyday – I did it for 20 years. I don’t know if Josh [Dean’s son] does head it everyday.
‘He’s not a massive header of the ball anyway really but I said to him “try not to head the ball” but you have to in a game, of course you have.
‘He scored a goal at Wembley by heading the ball. You’ve got to head it, but can you minimise it in training?’
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Alzheimer’s, dementia and carers’ helplines
NHS
Looking after someone with dementia
Comprehensive information from the NHS with links to external sites.
Alzheimer’s Society
Dementia Connect Support Line: 0333 150 3456
The Alzheimer’s Society is Britain’s leading care and research charity for people with dementia, their families and carers. Our local services include day care and home care for people with dementia, as well as support and befriending services to help partners and families cope with the demands of caring. From Alzheimer’s Café’s and innovative ‘Singing for the Brain‘ sessions to memory-book projects and group outings, our services provide both practical support and an essential point of human contact.
Alzheimer Scotland
Dementia Advisors: 0300 373 5774
Caring for someone with dementia
Alzheimer Scotland is Scotland’s national dementia charity. Our aim is to make sure nobody faces dementia alone. We provide support and information to people with dementia, their carers and families, we campaign for the rights of people with dementia and fund vital dementia research. We have Dementia Resource Centres in 25 different locations across Scotland. Those centres provide a safe and friendly environment for people with dementia and their carers to visit and take part in a wide variety of activity groups.
Dementia UKAdmiral Nursing Dementia Helpline: 0800 888 6678www.dementiauk.org
We provide mental health nurses specialising in dementia care, Admiral Nurses are a lifeline to thousands of people in this country. They provide psychological support to help family carers understand and deal with their feelings, practical advice and information on dementia, its impact and how to cope. They can also provide referrals to other appropriate services and liaison with other professionals to provide holistic support when it’s most needed.
Alzheimer’s Research UK
Info line: 0300 111 5 111
Support for people affected by dementia
Funds world-class research to find ways to cure, prevent or treat Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, as well as providing free information on dementia and the treatments available.
Dementia Friends
Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Friends programme is the biggest ever initiative to change people’s perceptions of dementia. It aims to transform the way the nation thinks, acts and talks about the condition. Whether you attend a face-to-face Information Session or watch the online video, Dementia Friends is about learning more about dementia and the small ways you can help. From telling friends about the Dementia Friends programme to visiting someone you know living with dementia, every action counts.
Rare Dementia Support
Young onset Alzheimer’s Disease
Rare Dementia Support runs specialist support services for individuals living with, or affected by, one of five rare dementia diagnoses: frontotemporal dementia (FTD), posterior cortical atrophy (PCA), primary progressive aphasia (PPA), familial Alzheimer’s disease (FAD) & familial frontotemporal dementia (fFTD). We provide regular support group meetings, newsletters, telephone contact networks, websites and access to information and advice for people affected by these five rare dementia conditions.
Carers
Gov UK – Caring for someone
Gives details of services and benefits for UK carers.
Citizens Advice Scotland – Carers Help & Support
Carers UKHelpline: 0808 808 7777
Carers UK provides information and advice to people who provide unpaid support to their relatives, partners or friends who are chronically ill, disabled or frail.Carers Trust
Head Office: Tel: 0300 772 9600
We work to improve support, services and recognition for anyone living with the challenges of caring, unpaid, for a family member or friend who is ill, frail, disabled or has mental health or addiction problems. With locally based Network Partners we are able to support carers in their homes through the provision of replacement care, and in the community with information, advice, emotional support, hands on practical help and access to much needed breaks.
Age UK
Advice line: 0800 678 1602
Looking after yourself as a carer
We believe that age needs respect. It needs kindness. Sometimes it needs help. Because there is strength in numbers, Age Concern and Help the Aged have joined forces to become Age UK – so that we can be here for everyone in later life. Age UK aims to improve later life for everyone through our information and advice, services, campaigns, products, training and research.
Relatives & Residents Association
Helpline: 020 7359 8136
The R & RA is the national charity for older people in or needing care and the relatives and friends who help them cope. We support and inform residents, families and friends with what they need to know about residential care, and what to do if things go wrong; and provide a voice for a sector that cannot always speak out for itself. Our Helpline offers information, comfort and support. Our advisers have years of expert knowledge of the care system and we take the time to listen and give whatever support is needed.
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