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When Michael J. Fox reached out to his supporters to tell what he wants us all to remember

Manuela Cardiga
Apr 27, 2018
05:50 P.M.

Actor Michael J. Fox was at the height of his fame and success when terrible news about his health brought his world crashing down.

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Michael J. Fox was one of the planet's most famous actors, and at 29 he had the world at his feet when he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, revealed AWM.com on the 18th of April 2018.

Parkinson's disease is a long-term degenerative and progressive disorder of the central nervous system and the symptoms develop slowly over time. The most obvious and emblematic symptoms are shaking hands, limb rigidity, slowness of movement, and difficulty with walking.

Fox was devastated with his diagnosis and he sunk into a deep depression, drowning himself in alcohol. He kept his condition a secret for seven years, but he then realized that his fame put him in a unique position.

He could become a spokesperson for the devastating condition which at the time was seen as an 'old person' disease.Since then he has become the world’s most prominent Parkinson’s disease sufferer, and an advocate for research into treatment and a possible cure.

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“Muhammad Ali called me at home,ãnd in this raspy, paper-thin voice, he said, ‘Aahhhhh… Michael, now that you’re in it, we’ll win this fight.’ "

Michael J. Fox, AWM.com, 18th of April 2018.

Fox decided to use his fame and influence and started the Michael J. Fox Foundation, which aids fellow Parkinson’s sufferers. His time is now dedicated to working to raise funds for research for treatments, and possibly a cure.

The foundation helps patients with financial and emotional difficulties and promotes the awareness with regards to Parkinson's disease.

After Fox came out about his diagnosis, many people reached out to offer support, but there was one fellow Parkinson's sufferer whose message touched him deeply: none other than the great Muhammed Ali himself. The mythical world boxing champion had been diagnosed with Parkinson's in 1984 at the age of 42.

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The Michael J. Fox Foundation has raised $700 million for Parkinson’s research and has opened doors and given hope to thousands of sufferers worldwide.

Though there is still no cure for the disease, Fox's doctors have concocted a mix of drugs that work well for him and he feels better than he did when he was originally diagnosed, and more in control of his body and his life.

Fox has returned to the entertainment industry and is determined to show his fellow Parkinson's sufferers what they can achieve with willpower and dedication

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