Penrith Panthers legend Royce Simmons has confirmed the sad news he’s been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
Simmons, synonymous with the Panthers memorable 1991 grand final win over Canberra, revealed the news while declaring his plans to raise money for Dementia Australia by organising a charity walk of close to 300km from his home town of Goolagong to Penrith.
The news will send shockwaves through current and former players, with Simmons the latest great of the game to reveal he has a brain injury, after former Canterbury Bulldogs captain Steve Mortimer went public with his dementia diagnosis last year.
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Simmons said he wasn’t sure if the disease was linked to multiple concussions he suffered throughout his career. But he became concerned when he forgot his wife had purchased a bottle of wine just minutes after they had left the shop. The moment led to the league great to see a neurologist last June.
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“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’,” Simmons said in an interview with Neil Cadigan on the Panthers’ website.
“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.”
Despite the concerning news, Simmons said he still feels physically fit and that his condition hasn’t deteriorated since his diagnosis. He still works for the club in an ambassador role and believes he’ll be able to complete the 10-day walk and arrive at Bluebet Stadium for the Panthers’ clash with North Queensland on May 27.
“You have all the stats about people who suffer from dementia or die from it but you’ve got to multiply that by 10 or 20 people who suffer as well alongside them,” Simmons said.
“I want to help raise money for research as a mark of respect for the medical people who have worked so hard find a cure or a successful treatment and all those people who suffer watching a loved one go down the path of losing who they once were.”
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