Michael J. Fox

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When Michael J. Fox left his role on ABC's Spin City in spring of 2000 after 18 years as one of America's favorite television stars, he said he needed a breather. The degenerative conditions accompanying his Parkinson's disease - fatigue, painful stiffness and tremors - had made the 14-hour days of the show's production more grinding than ever.

But retirement, Fox says, "is a joke. I've never worked as hard as I have in the last year." Since giving up full-time TV work, the four-time Emmy winner has devoted himself to raising funds and awareness for Parkinson's with his Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.

His goal: nothing short of a cure. The foundation has awarded $1.5 million in grants to doctors and scientists researching treatments, and it will partner with the National Institutes of Health to give another $8 million by the end of the year. "It's a fantastic feeling, but it's just a start," says Fox, who likes the fact that the possibilities for research outweigh the available funding. "You don't want to make a big stack of money and have nowhere to spend it."

Along with attending foundation fundraisers - a gala night of comedy on Dec. 8 in New York City is called "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Cure Parkinson's" - Fox has twice testified before Congress (pictured). "If we all do everything we can to eradicate this disease, in my 50s I'll be dancing at my children's weddings," the 40-year-old said in a 1999 visit to Capitol Hill. Advocates estimate the appearance generated a $10 million increase in federal aid. He also has starred in public service announcements, laced up his sneakers for the Parkinson's Unity Walk in New York City and led the foundation's board meetings.

Fox jokes that when he's with show business people, "I've got a pretty good shot at being one of the brighter people in the room. If I'm in a room full of neuroscientists, it's best for me to just look busy." Despite his modesty, he has worked to understand the research the foundation gathers in the grant-making process and learn as much as he can about a disease afflicting more than a million Americans.

"It's amazing to me how much knowledge he has," says Dr. J. William Langston, the foundation's chief scientific adviser. "The other thing that's impressed me is the absolute integrity in the quality of the foundation's work and the way it is managed." Adds executive director Debi Brooks, "People who send us checks every week in the mail, visit our website, call our 800 number and make donations are touched by Michael's presence, and I think they sense his sincerity for this mission."

Fox, in turn, is touched by them. He says he has been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support since his 1998 announcement that he has Parkinson's.

"I've taken the love, interest and respect people have given me and hopefully directed it to real, tangible good and recordable progress," he says. "We've heard that a cure could happen within a decade. We would like to be out of business in a decade." Maybe then he can really retire.-Brad Young

For information or contributions: Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, Grand Central Station, P.O. Box 4777, New York, NY 10163; (800) 708-7644 www.michaeljfox.org.

Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research
Grand Central Station
P.O. Box 4777
New York, NY 10163
call (800) 708-7644 or visit
www.michaeljfox.org

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