Harry Potter and Back to the Future star Drew Struzan has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, his wife has confirmed. Best known for his illustration work on films including the Star Wars series, E.T., The Shawshank Redemption and Blade Runner, Drew was responsible for creating the cover art for the Harry Potter films. Born in 19477, the 78-year-old has won numerous awards for his artwork.

His wife Dylan addressed his Instagram followers with an emotional post, writing: “Good morning all. I’m Drew’s wife, Dylan Struzan. I come to you with a heavy heart. Several years ago, Drew was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease. As you may know, the early stages are a slow progression of forgetfulness. This happens in the brain when the proteins in the neurones begin to fold improperly. They are called tau tangles. Neurotransmitters can no longer transmit a thought. Think of it as a log jam. Forgetfulness is often what we think of when this disease is mentioned, the brain malfunctioning.

“As the disease progresses, the hippocampus (seat of memory) begins to fail. Think of all the things you learned throughout life, simple things like how to stand (balance), how to walk, how to talk, how to control your bodily functions, how to make decisions, how to do most everything we do. The hippocampus forgets.”

She added: “It has been said this is the most vulnerable organ in the body. I can believe it.

“Some doctors believe this disease is reversible. For years, Drew and I have used the protocols that are supposed to, at the very least, arrest the forward momentum of the disease to no avail. His body has continued to decline. He is ‘still in there’, as they say. It seems that specialised brains have an advantage as their knowledge is part of the structure of the brain, not just an add-on stored in the brain.

“Nevertheless, the loss of coordination of moving the information from the brain to a functional expression short-changes abilities. Drew can no longer paint or sign things for you. He is not enjoying a well-deserved retirement but rather fighting for his life.

“He hears all the comments you have left here on these pages. It encourages him. At first he was able to express his thoughts but as time progressed it became infinitely more difficult.

“I rely on our 60 years of marriage working as a team to remember for him. Jon, who posts many things here, relies on research in the many hours of interviews both written and filmed to fill in Drew’s thoughts. Drew has left a strong legacy of love and joy in the form of his work. It has always been a love letter of sorts.”

She added that his “aim was to make the earth a better place”, but went on: “Like a flower, his season is ending.”

Dylan encouraged fans: “Please keep sharing your thoughts and experiences. It keeps him smiling through these difficult days. Keep remembering for him.”