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Michael J. Fox pleads for more funding for Parkinson's research WebPosted Tue Sep 28 20:23:35 1999 - WASHINGTON - Canadian actor Michael J. Fox delivered a personal plea on Tuesday for help in fighting a disease he suffers from: Parkinson's Disease. Fox appeared before a U.S. Senate panel to ask the U.S. government to spend more money on finding a cure. Parkinson's Disease causes muscle stiffness, difficulty in movement, and tremors. Some of those symptoms showed during Fox's testimony. The 38-year-old actor says that Parkinsons' sufferers like him will see their conditions worsen if more money isn't spent. But he said if more research funds are made available -- he's confident he'll dance at his children's weddings someday. Fox stars in the sitcom "Spin City." He rose to fame in TV's "Family Ties" and has made several feature films. He's married to actress Tracey Pollan. They have three children. The actor was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 1991 but went public with the diagnosis only last year. The disease destroys dopamine in the brain, a chemical which controls motor functions. It generally strikes people much older than Fox. Copyright © 1999 CBC All Rights Reserved <http://newsworld.cbc.ca/cgi-bin/go.pl?1999/09/28/fox990928> janet paterson 52 now / 41 dx / 37 onset 613 256 8340 po box 171 almonte ontario canada K0A 1A0 a new voice: <http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Village/6263/> <[log in to unmask]>