When was Michael J. Fox diagnosed with Parkinson’s? Looking back at Canadian-American activist's legacy and battle against disease

For over three decades, the Hollywood icon, Michael J. Fox, has been battling with the neurodegenerative ailment, Parkinson's disease. He was diagnosed with the disease at age 29 when his fingers began to twitch during the set of the 1991 romcom Doc Hollywood, in which he played the role of the aspiring medical practitioner, Dr Benjamin.

In an Interview with the renowned media company The Guardian, the 63-year-old TV legend, Michael J. Fox, shared some insights into how he grew into the realization of what he's faced with, taking intentional steps to be optimistic amidst this life-threatening disorder.

"The story is the power of optimism. That it’s really a choice. Acceptance doesn’t mean being resigned to something. You look at it and say: ‘What does this truth require of me?’ It’s like with our glorious ex-president: the only answer to that is truth. You can get caught up in the mythology being presented. In the nativism and the hatred, the resentment and the foulness of it all. It’ll consume you.”

He continued:

“So you have to fight this stuff. Hang on, I say: in terms of Donald Trump, isn’t truth losing the battle? “I don’t think that we will go down that path. I think he’s in the backstretch, and he’s gaining speed. What’s important is that we keep reminding ourselves who we are. I think we’ll prevail. But the world now is not pretty.” He stated.

More details on Michael J. Fox's fight against Parkinson's disease

In an exclusive interview with Entertainment Tonight in October 2021, the Oscar-winner addressed the reason why he decided to let the cat out of the bag after being diagnosed over seven years.

"It was seven or eight years after I had been diagnosed ... [and] the paparazzi and stuff, they would stand outside my apartment and heckle at me, like, 'What's a matter with you?'" Fox recalled. "I said, 'I can't be making my neighbours deal with this,' so I came out, and it was great. It was a great thing." He said.

Michael J. Fox furthermore sheds light on the struggles accompanying his condition:

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"I've had Parkinson's for 30 years... I think it's part of my life, it's what and it's who I am and it's a struggle sometimes. I'm not gonna lie; it's really hard to get up and get ready and get out in the world [some days]. There are days that suck," he reflected earnestly. "[But there's] just an understanding that I will get through it. At any moment, you have a choice: I cannot get through this moment, or I can get through this moment."

Following his diagnosis in 1991, the actor-now-turned-activist started a non-profit organisation, "The Michael J. Fox Foundation", on October 30, 2000, with the aim of finding a cure for PD.

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Raising over two billion dollars for a series of research studies on Parkinson's, Michael J. Fox's organisation is recognised as the World's most prominent non-profit organisation in terms of fundraising for PD research.

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