The following letter appeared in today's AZ Daily Star. It was also sent
to the NY Times, LA Times, Chicago Tribune, USA Today and People Magazine.
Well, one for six ain't bad!
Bob
ARIZONA PARKINSON'S ADVOCATES
A committee of the American Parkinson's Disease Association
5319 E. CALLE BOSQUE, TUCSON, ARIZONA 85718 520-299-1030
November 29, 1998
To the editor:
My reaction to Michael J. Fox's announcement that he has Parkinson's
Disease was similar to that of many other victims of Parkinson's worldwide:
We were sad to learn of the illness of a fine, productive human being at
such a young age and with such a young family.
But we were not surprised, as so many seem to be, that someone "so young"
should get the disease. Unfortunately, I know of hundreds of Parkinsonians
who were diagnosed in their thirties and forties. And, also unfortunately,
the belief that Parkinson's is "an old man's disease" rests at least
partially on the medical profession. For years MDs have told patients
exhibiting Parkinson's symptoms that "you are too young to have
Parkinson's," when they did indeed turn out to have it.
So it is important to distinguish between "diagnosis," when you are told
you have it, and the actual "onset," when symptoms begin (like my seven
year "tennis elbow," cold right hand and deteriorating right bicep) which
may be years before diagnosis.
We also recognize that Michael's announcement will bring increased
attention to our disease, which, almost two centuries after its discovery,
remains a medical mystery but not a medical priority. Parkinson's ravages
the bodies of up to 1.5 million in this country, insidiously robbing us of
our ability to walk, talk, or feed ourselves, eventually to control our
bodies in any way. And, in spite of the recent rush of media fluff, it is
a disease which can be successfully treated with drugs and by surgery for
only a short time.
If Parkinson's research does not produce a new breakthrough within the next
few years, Michael's future will be pretty dim. Sadly, Federal funding for
Parkinson's research has lagged behind other disease groups, far behind.
Those of us active in the effort to secure increased funding will encourage
Michael to enter our campaign. As with the successful celebrity-led march
for increased federal money for AIDS, greater public awareness of the
physical degeneration that comes with Parkinson's can only help us.
Michael's personal, continuing involvement will raise both the level of
public consciousness and public willingness to "fund the research, find the
cure."
What I would really like to see is Michael J. Fox joining forces with one
of the bravest victims of this disease, also struck at an early age, whose
singular efforts to raise the research money needed to find a cure are
unrelenting. Muhammad Ali continues to appear publicly, autographing
gloves, posing for photos, and, most importantly, publicly displaying the
devastation the disease has delivered his body. In the eyes of many,
Muhammad is a far greater champion today than he ever was in the ring.
Together, he and Michael just might find the right combination to win the
biggest fight of their, and our, lives.
Sincerely,
Robert L. Dolezal
Chairman, Arizona Parkinson's Advocates
