In Salem, Official Chooses To Go Public With Shocking Diagnosis
SALEM (CBS) -- John O'Brien sits with a big smile on his face behind his desk in a position he's held for four decades. as the Southern Essex District Register of Deeds.
He wants to let people know that he's been diagnosed with a serious disease--Lewy body dementia with Parkinsonian symptoms.
"Quite frankly, I never heard of the disease," O'Brien told WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Carl Stevens.
O'Brien sometimes gets short-term memory loss, and occasional tremors--but rather than keep his condition a secret, he is open about his disease.
"I felt that I had to let people know," O'Brien says. "God forbid, if you had it, you'd walk in to your boss and tell him. My boss is the people who elect me, so they have a right to know. So I told them."
He hopes his public acknowledgement of Lewy body dementia will make more people aware of the disease.
"Some years ago, if a politician ever came out and told people he had dementia, they'd be like, 'what are you talking about?' but it's changed, I think sadly, because so many families are affected by this," says O'Brien.
"I don't want people to feel bad for me, but I want them to know it can happen to anyone at any time."
O'Brien is up for reelection in 2018. He plans to run--and to keep doing the job that he loves.
"But," he says, "and I stress this but, if at any time I feel that I can't do this job, I'll walk right out that door."
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Carl Stevens reports