Movie Stars With Parkinson’s Disease

He Got Four Doctors Opinions Before Accepting His Fate

When he shared the news with Pollan, she cried out of fear. Neither of us quite understood. We hugged each other and assured ourselves that wed be able to deal with it, Pollan told People.

It just didnt seem right. Fox was young and in good shape and doctors agreed that he must have been misdiagnosed. But after four doctors had the same initial reaction followed by the same eventual diagnosis, there was no escaping. He searched for an explanation. What mistake did he make in his life that caused this?

After ruling out everything from childhood hockey accidents to film stunts, he realized the truth. Theres just that thing fate, he explained to People. Youre the guy it touches.

Retired Nba Power Forward Brian Grant Isnt The Only Famous Athlete With Parkinsons Here Are 10 More Sports Superstars Diagnosed With The Disease

NBA legend Brian Grant retired from professional basketball in 2006 after a 12-year career playing for the Sacramento Kings, Portland Trail Blazers, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns.

Two years later, at the age of 36, he was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinsons disease. This motivated him to launch the Brian Grant Foundation, which provides educational tools to help people with Parkinsons lead active, fulfilling lives.

But, as most of us know, Grant isnt the only sports superstar to power through the disease. Here are 10 more legendary athletes with Parkinsons.

Robin Williams Lewy Body Dementia

Robin Williams suicide in 2014 shocked the world and left millions of fans of all ages saddened by the news. Though previously diagnosed with Parkinsons Disease, at that time, few knew that he was suffering with an extreme case of Lewy Body Dementia.

Its name comes from protein deposits called Lewy bodies that develop in nerve cells in the the regions of the brain that have to do with thinking, memory and motor control. Although Robins was a severe case, most people with Lewy body have progressive decline in mental abilities.

Symptoms include visual hallucinations, movement disorders, poor regulation of body funcions , cognitive problems, difficulty in sleeping, problems with attention, despression and loss of motivation.

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Neil Diamond: Stepping Away From Touring Because Of Parkinsons

Singer Neil Diamond announced on January 22, 2018, that he was retiring from touring because of a recent Parkinsons diagnosis. The news came during his 50th anniversary tour, as Diamond announced he would have to cancel upcoming concert dates in Australia and New Zealand. In a statement on his official website, he said, It is with great reluctance and disappointment that I announce my retirement from concert touring. I have been so honored to bring my shows to the public for the past 50 years.

Diamond reassured fans that he would continue writing and recording music, but he would not perform in front of live audiences in the future. His hits over the years have included Girl, Youll Be a Woman Soon, Sweet Caroline, Cracklin Rosie, Song Sung Blue, and Red, Red Wine.

Diamond was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011 and received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2018 Grammy Awards.

Popular Hollywood Actor Michael J Fox Has Revealed That His Short Term Memory Is Shot As A Result Of His Parkinson’s Disease Read More To Know

Michael J Fox is one of the most celebrated stars of the 1980s and 1990s. Over the years, he has given several memorable characters to the viewers. The popular actor recently opened up about his Parkinsons disease and how it is affecting his ability to act. Here is what Michael J Fox had to say about his Parkinsons disease.

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Important Facts About Parkinsons Disease

According to the not-for-profit organization, Mayo Clinic, Parkinsons disease is a progressive nervous system disorder affecting movements. Its symptoms are starting gradually, and sometimes, begins with a barely noticeable shaking of one hand. Tremors for this disease are typical. However, the disorder usually causes stiffness too or slowing down in terms of movement.

During the early phases of Parkinsons, a persons face may display little expression . His arms may not move or swing when he walks. Even the speech gets affected as it becomes slurred or soft. PD symptoms worsen as the condition progresses or develops over time.

In addition, even though it is incurable, there might be remarkable improvements with the symptoms due to medications. On some occasions, the doctor may recommend surgery to regulate some regions of the brain, not to mention, improve the symptoms.

Michael Richard Clifford: Parkinson’s In Space

Michael Richard “Rich” Clifford began his career as a NASA astronaut in 1990. He’s since made three space flights, accumulating 665 hours orbiting Earth. Though diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1994, he continued to fly. Clifford was 42 and in apparent good health when he discovered his Parkinson’s disease, signaled at first by difficulty moving his right arm and hand correctly. In 2012, the American Academy of Neurology gave him the Public Leadership in Neurology Award for increasing awareness of Parkinson’s disease and for encouraging people living with Parkinson’s to continue to pursue their dreams.

Everyone with PD handles it differently, said Clifford in an interview with the Michael J. Fox Foundation. Dont let it get in the way of living. Life is too good. Remember, keep going the skys the limit.

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Catherine Zeta Jones Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is a mental illness characterized by mood fluctuations between extreme highs and lows . Catherine Zeta Jones suffers from this illness.This is a disorder that affects millions of people and I am one of them. If my revelation of having bipolar II has encouraged one person to seek help, then it is worth it. There is no need to suffer silently and there is no shame in seeking help, said the actress in a statement.

Fox Says He Was ‘so Scared’ During The Early Years

Accepting his newfound reality, Fox tried to move forward with his life. At home, his young son Sam dubbed his left hand the shaky hand and made a game of it, but at work, it was getting harder to hide. As photographers and reporters anxiously awaited his arrival at the Golden Globes in January 1998, he stalled in the limo as his left arm and leg shook uncontrollably. He asked the driver to take another spin around the block. Three spins later, his medication kicked into effect and he was able to proceed without anyone aware of his secret. He even snagged the Best Actor trophy that night.

It wasnt that he was ashamed of it. It was just that he had to learn how to deal with it on his own. So Fox continued working. Telling whoever needed to know, but mostly keeping it to a tight group.

Those seven years saw a period where he focused on comedies: Life with Mikey , For Love or Money and Greedy . My decision making was ridiculous, he admitted in 2019 to the New York Times Magazine of the time. It wasnt based on truth.

Looking back on that period now, hes able to admit his vulnerability. I was so scared, Fox explained to the New York Times Magazine. I was so unfamiliar with Parkinsons. Someone is saying your life is going to be completely changed. Yeah? When? He admits he took on projects because of time restrictions and financial pressures since they were inflated in my head, so he chose as many quick successful movies as he could.

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Muhammad Ali Struggle With Parkinsons Disease

If theres one name thatthe world will never forget, its that of the greatest boxer of all time:Muhammad Ali. The Olympic gold medal winner was known as a living legend. Hedefeated a long list of some of the most famous boxers in history includingGeorge Foreman and Joe Frazier.

Ali is still historys only three-time world heavyweight champion to date. He devoted his time outside the boxing ring by using his fame for influence.

He actively campaignedfor cultural pride among African Americans and, after his diagnosis, spent thelast thirty years of his life to raising awareness about the effects ofParkinsons disease to the public.

Muhammad Ali wasdiagnosed with PD in the year 1984. Just three years earlier, the legendaryboxer had declared his retirement from boxing. During the next 32 years of hislife, Ali remained one of the most renowned people to battle the condition.

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He used his publicplatform to spread awareness and advocated heavily for more government fundingtowards research. As well as donating his own royalties to research projects,Ali began an annual Celebrity Fight Night to raise money for research.

Muhammad Ali: A Fighter For Parkinson’s Awareness

The beloved boxer Muhammad Ali coped with shaking hands and mobility challenges long before he retired from the sport in 1981. In 1984, doctors diagnosed Ali with Parkinson’s disease. Ali, the philanthropist Jimmy Walker, and Abraham Lieberman, MD, established the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center for movement disorders, a Parkinson’s Foundation Center of Excellence at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix. It serves as a resource center for Parkinson’s and other movement disorders, including Huntington’s disease and essential tremor, for both patients and their families.

Ali was long associated with the annual gala fundraising event for Barrow Neurological Institute, Celebrity Fight Night, where he was the featured guest. Awareness-building runs in the family: His daughter Rasheda Ali wrote a book for children about Parkinson’s disease, I’ll Hold Your Hand so You Won’t Fall: A Child’s Guide to Parkinson’s Disease.

Muhammad Ali died in June 2016 at age 74.

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Linda Ronstadt: Parkinson’s Took Her Voice But Not Her Spirit

Known for her rich soprano vocals as the lead singer of the 1960s band the Stone Poneys, Linda Ronstadt opened up about her Parkinson’s disease diagnosis to AARP The Magazine in 2013. After two very bad tick bites in the 1980s, Ronstadt says her health never fully recovered but she didn’t visit a neurologist until she was no longer able to sing.

“I didn’t know why I couldn’t sing all I knew was that it was muscular or mechanical. Then when I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s, I was finally given the reason. I now understand that no one can sing with Parkinson’s disease. No matter how hard you try. And in my case, I can’t sing a note,” she told AARP.

Fox Remains Optimistic That There Will Be A Cure

From the start, his attitude about his diagnosis was clear and became his trademark: optimism mixed with reality.

That fall, he went back to Spin City, but eventually left after two more seasons. One of the reasons I left Spin City was that I felt my face hardening, he told theNew York Times Magazine. My movements were constricted. If you watch episodes from the last couple of seasons, youll see I would anchor myself against a desk or the wall. Eventually, it was too burdensome.

Knowing his limits and knowing where to channel his energy became his priority. By the end of that year, he launched the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research and poured all his efforts into its work.

Despite returning to acting and writing three best-selling books , his true purpose now remains on his foundation. I still believe in a cure, he told The New York Times Magazine.

Fox has been known to pick up a guitar at his foundations annual benefit and reprise the iconic Back to the FutureJohnny B. Goode scene with Coldplays Chris Martin even joining him in 2013. After all, Fox is a true rockstar.

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He Told Tv Execs About His Parkinsons Before Spin City

After the successful 1995 film The American President, he decided it was time to step away from films and stay in one place with a TV show. And thats when the sitcom Spin City about the New York City mayors office came along.

Before stepping into the lead role as Mike Flaherty, he revealed his diagnosis to the networks then-president Robert Iger and the production company DreamWorks head Jeffrey Katzenberg. I said it could get very bad or not get bad. They said, Lets go! Fox recalled to People.

The surgery helped. He returned to the show that falls, but by the end of 1998, he was ready to speak even more publicly and revealed his diagnosis on the cover of the December 7, 1998 issue of People.

Freddie Roach: Boxing Trainer With Parkinson’s

Frederick “Freddie” Roach is a boxing trainer and former professional boxer. Bryant Gumbel included his story in the HBO series Real Sports, detailing Roach’s efforts to control his Parkinson’s disease with medication and continued work as a trainer. Roach, who began to show Parkinsons symptoms over 20 years ago, trains world-famous boxers at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, California, which he owns. His client list has included the likes of Amir Khan, Manny Pacquiao, Mark Wahlberg, and Georges St. Pierre.

But having Parkinson’s hasn’t dimmed his commitment to boxing, even as it’s caused his speech to slur and his left arm to shake. “I’m in the gym every day it’s part of life. Instead of taking a vacation, I like what I do. My vacations are right here,” Roach said in a 2015 CBS interview.

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Maurice White: A Performer With Parkinson’s

One of the founding members of the band Earth, Wind & Fire, Maurice White noted the first symptoms of Parkinson’s disease in the 1980s while the band’s popularity was going strong. Although he was diagnosed in 1992 at age 50, he kept quiet about his disease for eight years. In a 2000 interview with Rolling Stone, he discussed his diagnosis, saying, “I traveled with the band for five years with Parkinson’s. I was treating it with medication then, and I still have it under control. It’s not taking anything away from me.”

White died in 2016 at age 74.

These Parkinsons Disease Movies Encourage Inspire And Entertain

A few weeks ago, I came across an Everyday Health article about Parkinsons disease movies. Not just any Parkinsons movies, but the best Parkinsons movies. Using the label best is pretty risky when assessing movies, as everyones tastes are so different.

The article lists the following as the best PD movies:

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Back To The Future Star Said That He Has Experienced Memory Loss Dementia And Delusions In Recent Years

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Michael J Fox has said he may be at the end of his acting career due to the worsening symptoms of Parkinsons disease.

The Back to the Future star was diagnosed with Parkinsons in 1991, and went public with his diagnosis in 1998. While he has continued to act in the years since, he revealed in his new memoir that he can no longer memorise extensive dialogue or work for hours at a time.

There is a time for everything, and my time of putting in a 12-hour workday, and memorising seven pages of dialogue, is best behind me, Fox writes in No Time Like the Future.

At least for now I enter a second retirement, he continues. That could change, because everything changes. But if this is the end of my acting career, so be it.

Fox added that he has recently noticed he is suffering from new symptoms of the disease, which include memory loss, delusions and dementia.

Muhammad Ali Parkinsons Disease

Boxing legend Muhammad Ali had the most difficult battle outside the ring. Ali fought Parkinsons disease for 32 years. Parkinsons involves the progressive death of neurons in the region of the brain called the substantia nigra and more specifically, in one of its two parts, the pars compacta. The death of cells results in diminished dopamine synthesis, which leads to a dysfunction in the regulation of the main brain structures involved in controlling movement.

The most common symptoms of Parkinsons disease include generalized slowness of movement, gradual loss of spontaneous movement, resting tremor, and rigidity . Other symptoms such as impaired balance and altered postural reflexes can also occur, causing people with Parkinsons to fall easily. Other frequently associated symptoms include the presence of cognitive impairment, which affects memory, attention and processing speed.

Ali was diagnosed with Parkinsons disease in 1984. At first, there were times when I could push all thoughts of the disease out of my mind. Later, when the physical symptoms could not be ignored, there were periods of frustration and depression, said the boxing legend. However, Ali stood up to the disease and became an example to many people with it. The fighter died from a respiratory complication associated with the disease in 2016.

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Michael J Fox: Parkinson’s Champion For A Cure

Michael J. Fox is among the most well-known people living with Parkinson’s disease. Many remember him as the fresh-faced young star of the 1980s TV comedy hit Family Ties and the popular Back to the Future movies. Though most people with Parkinson’s are diagnosed between ages 40 and 60, Fox was diagnosed at age 30 but his diagnosis didnt slow him down.

He shared his young-onset Parkinson’s disease diagnosis with the world in 1998 and, two years later, founded the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. Fox is committed to helping the foundation build Parkinson’s disease awareness and raise funds for research into prevention, treatment, and a cure. In addition to his advocacy work, hes still a working actor some more recent roles have included characters with Parkinson’s in the TV shows The Good Wife and Curb Your Enthusiasm.

“As long as I play a guy with Parkinson’s, I can do anything,” he joked in a 2013 AARP interview.