Michael J. Fox had a ‘terrible year’ due to Parkinson’s but is ‘feeling better’
Michael J. Fox had a ‘terrible year’ due to Parkinson’s but feels ‘better’… as he talks about the ‘massive’ groundbreaking discovery in tracking the disease
Michael J. Fox, who has Parkinson’s disease, spoke about his health and revealed that he’s had a “terrible year” but in some ways he’s “feeling better.”
The actor, 61, spoke State news about his health, adding that new groundbreaking research has been done on the disease that is “massive.”
Michael, who is married to actress Tracy Pollan, fell and broke several bones over the past year, some in his hand and face, he told the outlet.
The screen legend, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s at the age of 29, spoke of a new discovery found through research funded by his Michael J. Fox Foundation.
The research found that a specific misfolded protein can be used to determine whether someone has Parkinson’s disease.
The latest: Michael J. Fox, who has Parkinson’s disease, spoke about his health and revealed he’s had a ‘terrible year’ but in some ways ‘felt better’ now
Groundbreaking: The actor, 61, spoke to Stat News about his health, adding that new groundbreaking research has been done on the disease that is “massive”; seen on January 20, 2023 in Park City, Utah at the Sundance Film Festival premiere of STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie
The outlet noted that a medical journal described the evidence pointing to the protein as an identifier — as a “game changer in Parkinson’s disease diagnostics, research and treatment trials.”
The protein in question is called alpha-synuclein, and if it’s misfolded, it can help determine if someone has the disease.
The protein can only be detected through an epidural, but scientists hope to one day detect it through a blood test, nasal swab or skin biopsy.
The research that led to the discovery of the importance of alpha-synuclein was because of the actor’s creation, which he started in 2010.
The 1,123-person study, published in The Lancet Neurology, was funded by his foundation and cost hundreds of millions of dollars, Stat News reported.
‘This is the thing. This is the great reward. This is the big trophy,” Michael told the outlet.
Michael was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1991 at the age of 29; he went public with it in 1998.
Speaking out: Michael, who is married to actress Tracy Pollan, fell and broke several bones, some in his hand and face in the past year, he told the outlet; seen together at the SXSW Festival for the premiere of his documentary STILL: A Michael J. Fox Movie on March 14, 2023 in Austin, Texas
Brave: Michael was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1991 at the age of 29; he went public with it in 1998; seen on March 14, 2023 in Austin, Texas
Michael’s documentary STILL: A Michael J. Fox debuts May 12 on Apple TV+; It was screened at the Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival last month.
During the festival, Michael was asked how he mobilized people to care about the disease.
‘I had no choice. This is it. I have to give it all I’ve got, and it’s not lip service. I’ll show up and do my best,” he said during the Q&A portion People.
Add: “Pity is a benign form of abuse. I can feel sorry for myself, but I don’t have time for that. There’s something to learn from this, so let’s do that and move on.”