What happens when you eliminate the impossible

Earlier this month, on Jan. 17, we celebrated the 83rd anniversary of boxer Muhammad Ali’s birth.

Ali remains a towering figure worldwide, even years after his death in 2016 at the age of 74. He was a fighter both by occupation and in spirit. He stood up for peace and civil rights and was a global representation of Black excellence. He was an inspiration to people dealing with adversity.

He also had Parkinson’s disease.

In a strange way, those of us with Parkinson’s disease are lucky Ali had the condition. His decision to publicly share about his diagnosis brought much attention and awareness to Parkinson’s. When I was diagnosed, one of the only things I knew about the disease was that Muhammad Ali had it. He gave a face to the fight.

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A legacy of possibility

At one time, Ali was one of the most famous and recognizable people in the world. To see him continue with dignity as his once finely tuned body began to fail him gives me, and many others with Parkinson’s, hope. He didn’t shy away from attention in his later years and handled his changing physicality gracefully.

Not only did he land punches with his body, he also landed them with his words. He talked a big game, but backed it up with his actions — in the ring and while protesting war and fighting for civil rights. He also brought this attitude to his biggest fight, the one against Parkinson’s. He once said, “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.” And serve his fellow man, he did.

I love many of Ali’s quotes, but this is one of my favorites:

“Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they’ve been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It’s an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It’s a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.”

I think we can also substitute “incurable” for “impossible,” and it sums up a lot of how I feel about living with Parkinson’s. There’s always room to fight. We can’t just accept limitations. How we define the world we’ve been given has to change. The world I’ve been given defines the fight, not the outcome. It’s a huge fight, but there’s no giving up.

I often think about a day when there’ll be a cure for Parkinson’s disease. It may not come in my lifetime, but it will come. And every bit we fight today moves us closer to that future. Nothing is impossible. Impossible is simply the starting point of the fight.

Muhammad Ali taught us to survive, never give up, and never take our gifts and voices for granted. There’s always more to be done, starting with imagining the impossible.

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.