Pushing forward this Parkinson’s Awareness Month with boldness, grace
Other advocates inspire me to keep up my own fight against the disease
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This year, I’m celebrating Parkinson’s Awareness Month by saying, “F— Parkinson’s!” If you watch the Apple TV show “Shrinking,” you’ll get exactly what I mean.
The show features a group of multigenerational friends, three of whom work together at a psychiatrist’s office. (Get it? “Shrinking?”) Harrison Ford plays one of the main characters, who has Parkinson’s disease. In its current third season, the show also features Michael J. Fox, who plays another character with Parkinson’s. It won’t spoil the season opener if I tell you that Ford’s and Fox’s characters meet. As they’re comparing symptoms, Fox says, “I’m still here, so f— Parkinson’s.” Ford replies in kind.
This scene touched my heart and stoked the fires of battle deep inside me to keep up my own fight against Parkinson’s. What better way to begin the awareness month?
Parkinson’s won’t ‘shrink’ us
Seeing these two characters stand up to Parkinson’s is inspiring. I’m impressed by Ford’s honest, nuanced characterization of the disease and by Fox’s approach to the real thing. Before “Shrinking,” Fox hadn’t been seen on screen in over five years, yet he continues to be unafraid to live his life, Parkinson’s symptoms and complications be damned. And when the guy who played Han Solo in “Star Wars” says, “He [Fox] has such a great positive attitude all the time. It makes me ashamed of myself,” you know Fox is a real-deal hero.
Long before the show, I had sometimes considered Parkinson’s to be a shrinking disease, giving the TV show’s name a double meaning, because many of its physical symptoms can be diminishing, including stooped posture, slow movement (bradykinesia), tiny handwriting (micrographia), and quieter and less clear speech. It is also associated with social isolation, particularly among older patients. But we don’t have to let it diminish us. We may do things differently from others, but we’re still here.
I feel lucky that when I was diagnosed more than 12 years ago, I had examples of living with Parkinson’s outside of being hidden away, bedridden, and in a wheelchair. There are still many misconceptions about who gets Parkinson’s disease and how it progresses. I had Fox, and many others who are far less famous, to show me what facing Parkinson’s with boldness and grace can look like.
I have often said that the best things Fox has done were publicly disclosing his illness, giving it a face and visibility; starting his foundation, focused clearly on funding research to find a cure for Parkinson’s disease; and going back to work. Fox leads by example and keeps showing up for work, his family, his foundation, and his life, even when it’s hard or he feels physically or psychologically diminished.
Fox made Parkinson’s disease so “cool” that even Hollywood is making it part of storylines, from the titular character’s brother on the Showtime series “Ray Donovan” — a former boxer with Parkinson’s who underwent deep brain stimulation surgery — to Anne Hathaway’s character in “Love and Other Drugs,” who had early-onset Parkinson’s, to Ford’s character in “Shrinking.”
Of course, Parkinson’s disease is not cool. It stinks. I want it cured now. So let’s press forward this Parkinson’s Awareness Month. Others are showing us the way. There are so many ways to help: Donate to a fundraiser, volunteer for a Team Fox event, or just go out and live your life boldly. All of these raise awareness and move us closer to a cure.
We’re still here. So f— Parkinson’s!
Note: Parkinson’s News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Parkinson’s News Today or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to Parkinson’s disease.
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