Michael J. Fox rose to fame through iconic roles such as Alex P. Keaton on Family Ties and Marty McFly in Back to the Future. At just 29, while filming Doc Hollywood in 1991, he noticed a tremor in his pinky finger and was diagnosed with young-onset Parkinson’s disease.
Fox initially kept his diagnosis private and continued his successful acting career, including starring in Spin City. In 1998, he publicly revealed his condition and began using his platform to raise awareness and support Parkinson’s research.
In 2000, Fox founded The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. Over the years, the organization has funded research into Parkinson’s biology, genetics, biomarkers, treatments, and clinical studies. By 2026, the foundation reported more than $3 billion in research funding worldwide, making it the largest nonprofit funder of Parkinson’s research.
One major achievement supported by the foundation was research into alpha-synuclein biomarkers, which has helped scientists detect biological features associated with Parkinson’s disease and improve research into diagnosis and progression.
Fox continued acting in shows including Scrubs, Boston Legal, Rescue Me, and The Good Wife. His 2023 documentary, Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie, explored his career, family life, and decades of living with Parkinson’s.
Fox has also faced serious health challenges, including surgery for a spinal tumor in 2018 and injuries from falls. As Parkinson’s has progressed, he has spoken openly about mobility problems and the realities of living with the disease.
There is still no cure for Parkinson’s, but research continues to advance. Fox’s foundation has helped bring together patients, scientists, donors, universities, and pharmaceutical companies in the search for better treatments and, ultimately, a cure.
What began with a tremor in a 29-year-old actor’s pinky finger became a decades-long mission to change the future of Parkinson’s disease. Fox’s story is not about defeating Parkinson’s—it is about adapting to it while helping fund the research that could one day defeat it.
