{"id":1078,"date":"2012-09-22T06:49:38","date_gmt":"2012-09-22T10:49:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/heroes\/?p=1078"},"modified":"2015-01-23T22:10:08","modified_gmt":"2015-01-24T03:10:08","slug":"michael-j-fox%e2%80%99s-heroic-battle-with-parkinson%e2%80%99s-disease","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.richmond.edu\/heroes\/2012\/09\/22\/michael-j-fox%e2%80%99s-heroic-battle-with-parkinson%e2%80%99s-disease\/","title":{"rendered":"Michael J. Fox’s Heroic Battle With Parkinson’s Disease"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>By Scott T. Allison and George R. Goethals<\/strong><\/p>\n

In a previous blog post<\/a>, we discussed the courageous story of actor Christopher Reeve, who suffered a paralyzing accident in the prime of his life.\u00a0 With the help and support of his remarkable wife Dana, Christopher emerged as a gutsy champion of philanthropic causes and an inspiring hero to millions of people.\u00a0 A similar story describes the life of actor Michael J. Fox.\u00a0 An ultra-successful artist and comedic talent, Fox contracted Parkinson’s disease as a young man and has waged a courageous and inspiring battle ever since.<\/p>\n

Fox first made his mark in Hollywood in his portrayal as teenager Alex Keaton in the popular television series Family Ties<\/em> during the 1980s.\u00a0 He then made the successful transition to feature films, his breakthrough performance coming in the blockbuster film trilogy Back to the Future<\/em>.\u00a0 Fox was on top of the world.\u00a0 He was rich, handsome, talented, and wildly successful at his craft.\u00a0 He even married the woman of his dreams, Tracy Pollan, in 1988.<\/p>\n

Fox’s life then took a tragic, unexpected turn.\u00a0 In 1991, he received the devastating diagnosis from doctors:\u00a0 He had Parkinson’s disease, an incurable degenerative illness that attacks the central nervous system.\u00a0 Fox continued his acting career while taking medications and undergoing numerous medical procedures.\u00a0 \"\"<\/a>But while starring in the hit television series Spin City<\/em> ten years ago, he went public with his disease, acknowledging his steady decline and his need to curtail his acting.<\/p>\n

His goals during his semi-retirement have been twofold:\u00a0 Spend more time with his wife Tracy and their four children, and devote his remaining energies toward finding a cure for Parkinson’s.\u00a0 Fox has been a workhorse in that regard.\u00a0 His foundation, the Michael J. Fox Foundation<\/em>, was created to help promote and support research aimed at curing Parkinson’s disease, primarily through embryonic stem cell studies.<\/p>\n

Fox has testified a number of times before Congress to increase federal funding to defeat Parkinson’s. \u00a0He’s also rallied support from both Democrats and Republicans, using his fame and inspirational story to garner funding for his cause.\u00a0 Said Fox: “Medical science has proven time and again that when the resources are provided, great progress in the treatment, cure, and prevention of disease can occur.”<\/p>\n

The life we plan to lead is rarely the life we actually lead.\u00a0 Twenty years ago, Michael J. Fox probably thought that he’d only make his mark in the world as an entertainer.\u00a0 Life threw him a cruel curve, however.\u00a0 Like many heroes, Fox has risen to the challenge with great aplomb and grace.\u00a0 Rather than moving people with his acting, he is moving people in a far more significant and life-affirming way:\u00a0 As a tireless advocate of funding and research aimed at defeating his crippling disease.\u00a0 Fox’s steadfast commitment to triumphing over adversity is truly heroic.<\/p>\n

Fox’s work has earned him some well-deserved recognition: \u00a0In 2007, Time Magazine named him one of the 100 people “whose power, talent or moral example is transforming the world.”\u00a0 We wish him well on his remarkable journey.<\/p>\n

Below is a clip from Katie Couric’s interview with Michael J. Fox in 2006.<\/p>\n