Nichelle Nichols is one of the most iconic television actresses of our generation. She made history as one of the first African American woman to play a character on television who was not a servant, and not only that, her kiss with Captain Kirk actor William Shatner is cited as the first interracial kiss on television.
This iconic character made way for a lot of women in the world and has been cited as a lot of women's inspiration to pursue acting, including Whoopi Goldberg.
Nichols has been acting since 1959, but at the age of 85 she has updated us on her health condition with some sad news.
Nichols revealed that she was diagnosed with "moderate progressive dementia" and is currently in a legal battle to try and maintain some control over her life.
She is currently preparing for a court hearing that will take place next month, as her family is trying to get her to stop working. The actress regularly attends conventions and events as a way to earn an income, which she says is necessary to pay off her mortgages.
Nichols' son, Kyle Johnson, had recently requested that the courts set up a team of people to monitor her finances, as a way to prevent people from taking advantage of her. The judge granted the request back in May, and since then Nichols has had four conservators assisting her.
While Nichols finds her son's concern sweet, she isn't okay with the fact that he is trying to take over. "I said, "˜You cannot tell me what I can and cannot be as a human being, any more than you can tell a woman what she can and cannot be or do, a man which mountain he can climb.'
Dr. Meena Makhijani has been treating the actress for the last two to three years according to the legal documents, and says that there is major impairment to her short term memory at this time, as well as a moderate level of impairment when it comes to understanding abstract concepts, time, place, and immediate recall.
Luckily she has not experienced any issues with her long-term memory, verbal skills, concentration, or facial recognition, but her family still wants her to take some time for herself.
Apparently her son believes that she travels too much and is too overworked, but Nichols loves going to the conventions to meet the fans.
"[The fans] still want to come and shake our hands."
"He sees me on travel as overwork. I think he thinks Star Trek, the movie for which I'm most known, is not a blessing to me," Nichols said in an emotional interview. "[But] they all know who I am, what I am and why I love all of them as much as they love all of me."
Nichols loves her fans, and enjoys speaking with them at every opportunity.
"I go out to speak at Star Trek conventions and the people, the fans, are so appreciative and they all have questions."
The hearing will take place on August 16th, and that will determine whether or not a permanent conservator will be put in place to control Nichols' money.
