Sir David Suchet has spoken about his young grandson’s “very rare” and “incurable” condition, saying that he is “campaigning to raise awareness”.
The 79-year-old actor, best known for playing detective Hercule Poirot in Agatha Christie's Poirot, has two adult children with his wife (actor Sheila Ferris), and four grandchildren.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, Suchet and his family were interviewed about his 11-year-old grandson’s rare condition, known as Tuberous Sclerosis.
According to the NHS, Tuberous Sclerosis is a condition that causes mostly benign tumours to develop in different parts of the body. It is present from birth, and can cause mild to severe health problems, including epilepsy, learning disabilities, hyperactivity, kidney issues, breathing difficulties, and hydrocephalus, or a build-up of fluid on the brain.
“It was a shock. Our darling grandson has Tuberous Sclerosis, a very rare incurable disease (in this case caused by a non inherited) gene mutation,” Suchet told the publication.
“He is now 11, but he is non-verbal. He can walk, with a very particular gait. But he is a beautiful child.”
Speaking about his grandson’s condition, the actor explained: “I learned it was incurable, it was hard to take in, not many people have heard of it. So I'm now campaigning to raise awareness.”
Suchet added that he and his family are “very close”, and that he rents a property in Wiltshire, near where his son’s family lives, so that he and Ferris can “be on hand”.
“You can't cure or halt it what my grandson endures, you just have to get on with it,” he said.
Suchet, a prolific and celebrated stage actor whose role in the Agatha Christie TV adaptation propelled him to national stardom, was knighted in 2020 for his services to drama and charity.
At the time, the actor told PA news agency that it was the “proudest moment” of his life.
“I’ve been knighted on stage and it doesn’t compare,” he said. “And no camera is going to say ‘Cut, let’s do a retake’.
Asked what he was most proud of, Suchet responded: “I think it has to be Poirot for the general public.
“For myself, I’m very proud and grateful to have been given a career that has spanned all media.”
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