Emma Heming Willis has announced the launch of a new charity dedicated to advancing dementia research and expanding support for caregivers.
On March 13, the 47-year-old introduced The Emma & Bruce Willis Fund, a philanthropic initiative inspired by her husband and award-winning actor Bruce Willis, as he battles frontotemporal dementia (FTD).
FTD is one of the less common types of dementia that affects the neurons in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
The fund, in partnership with the Entertainment Industry Foundation, will direct resources toward caregiver support, education, and advocacy, as well as research and the acceleration of FTD-related discovery.
Heming Willis accepted the Susan Newhouse & Si Newhouse Award of Hope on behalf of herself and her husband at The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration’s Hope Rising Benefit on March 12.
The honor is awarded to those who prove instrumental in raising awareness, research, or improving the quality of life for those affected with FTD.
“I knew, first and foremost, Bruce would want that for our daughters,” the British model and actress told ABC News’ Diane Sawyer in an interview at the time. “He would want them to be in a home that was more tailored to their needs, not his needs.”
The couple have been married for 16 years and share two daughters together, Mabel, 13, and Evelyn, 11. Willis has three other daughters from his previous marriage to actress Demi Moore.
Since her husband’s diagnosis, Heming Willis has become a prominent voice in dementia advocacy and has used her platform to highlight the realities faced by caregivers and patients suffering from the neurodegenerative disease.
In sharing her experience with others, she released a book titled “The Unexpected Journey: Finding Strength, Hope, and Yourself on the Caregiving Path,” hoping to offer guidance for other caregivers when faced with uncertainty.
“This is the book I trust will help the next caregiver. It is filled with support, insight, and the hope needed to navigate this journey,” she wrote on Instagram in April 2025.
“This book is for all of us finding our way through the unknown with love, grit, and courage. You are not alone.”