Parkinson’s is a degenerative disease that has affected many celebrities over the years, including Muhammad Ali, Neil Diamond, Jesse Jackson, Ozzy Osbourne, and Linda Ronstadt. But of course the most notable celebrity with the
disease is Michael J. Fox, 61, who was diagnosed in 1991. The "Family Ties" and "Back to the Future" star is well-known for his optimism and raising awareness and $1.5 billion for Parkinson's research through The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Disease.
Fox Wasn’t Always Outspoken About his Diagnosis
Despite being diagnosed in 1991 at the age of 29, Michael J. Fox didn’t go public with this diagnosis until 1998 when he told Barbara Walters and People Magazine. Many wondered how such a young man could have been afflicted with a disease that most people associated with older people. In fact, at that time, of the 1 million Parkinson’s cases, only about 10 percent
affected those under the age of 40. Despite the rarity of being diagnosed at age 29, Fox’s neurologist, Dr. Allan Ropper of St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center in Boston, stated that he didn’t think anything made Michael especially susceptible to Parkinson’s. He had no family history or any other factors that made him more likely to get the disease.
