Editing Michael J. Fox (section)

== Activism ==
Fox was diagnosed with [[Parkinson's disease]] in 1991.<ref name="QuitsSpinCity" /> He has since become an activist and began [[the Michael J. Fox Foundation]] to increase research efforts to find a cure.<ref name="FoxFoundation" />

He has written several memoirs on his experiences. His first book, ''Lucky Man'', focused on how, after seven years of denial of the disease, he set up the Michael J. Fox Foundation, stopped drinking and became an advocate for people living with Parkinson's disease.<ref name="MJF_guardian">{{cite news |last=Brockes |first=Emma |date=April 11, 2009 |title={{-'}}It's the gift that keeps on taking{{'-}} |url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2009/apr/11/michael-j-fox-parkinsons |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131008000425/http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2009/apr/11/michael-j-fox-parkinsons |archive-date=October 8, 2013 |access-date=October 25, 2010 |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London}}</ref> In 2006, Fox starred in a [[campaign ad]] for then-[[State Auditor of Missouri]] [[Claire McCaskill]] in her successful [[2006 United States Senate election in Missouri|2006 Senate campaign]] against incumbent [[Jim Talent]], expressing her support for embryonic [[stem cell]] research. In the ad, he visibly showed the effects of his Parkinson's disease:
{{Blockquote
|quote = As you might know, I care deeply about stem cell research. In Missouri, you can elect Claire McCaskill, who shares my hope for cures. Unfortunately, Senator Jim Talent opposes expanding stem cell research. Senator Talent even wanted to criminalize the science that gives us the chance for hope. They say all politics is local, but that's not always the case. What you do in Missouri matters to millions of Americans, Americans like me.
|source = Michael J. Fox, ''Campaign Advertisement for [[Claire McCaskill]]''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6083472.stm |title=Michael J Fox makes stem cell ads |website=BBC News |date=October 25, 2006 |access-date=August 25, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071221105022/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6083472.stm |archive-date=December 21, 2007 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=2121909n |title=Michael J. Fox In Campaign Ad |website=CBS News |date=October 26, 2006 |access-date=August 25, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110915063004/http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=2121909n |archive-date=September 15, 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref> 
}}[[File:Michael J Fox Theatre.jpg|thumb|The Michael J. Fox Theatre at [[Burnaby South Secondary School]]]]

''[[The New York Times]]'' called it "one of the most powerful and talked about political advertisements in years" and polls indicated that the commercial had a measurable impact on the way voters voted, in an election that McCaskill won.<ref>{{cite magazine |date=October 26, 2006 |title=The Michael J. Fox Effect |url=https://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/061026/26politicalwire.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100517095318/http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/061026/26politicalwire.htm |archive-date=May 17, 2010 |access-date=August 25, 2010 |magazine=[[U.S. News & World Report]]}}</ref> His second book, ''Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist'', describes his life between 1999 and 2009, with much of the book centered on how Fox got into campaigning for stem cell research.<ref name="MJF_guardian" /> On March 31, 2009, Fox appeared on ''[[The Oprah Winfrey Show]]'' with [[Mehmet Oz]] to discuss his condition as well as his book, his family and his primetime special, which aired May 7, 2009, (''Michael J. Fox: Adventures of an Incurable Optimist'').<ref>{{cite magazine |date=March 19, 2009 |title=Michael J. Fox Speaks Out About Parkinson's |url=http://www.oprah.com/entertainment/Michael-J-Foxs-Life-with-Parkinsons-Stem-Cells-Optimism-and-More/2 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002040400/http://www.oprah.com/entertainment/Michael-J-Foxs-Life-with-Parkinsons-Stem-Cells-Optimism-and-More/2 |archive-date=October 2, 2013 |access-date=September 30, 2013 |magazine=[[O, The Oprah Magazine]]}}</ref>

His work led him to be named one of the [[Time 100|100 people]] "whose power, talent or moral example is transforming the world" in 2007 by [[Time (magazine)|''Time'' magazine]].<ref name="MJF_TIME">{{cite news |last=Davis |first=Patti |author-link=Patti Davis |date=May 3, 2007 |title=The TIME 100 – Michael J. Fox |url=http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/time100/article/0,28804,1595326_1615754_1615882,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110425013526/http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/time100/article/0,28804,1595326_1615754_1615882,00.html |archive-date=April 25, 2011 |access-date=May 14, 2011 |magazine=Time}}</ref> On March 5, 2010, Fox received an [[honorary doctorate]] in medicine from [[Karolinska Institute]] for his contributions to research in Parkinson's disease.<ref>{{cite web |date=March 5, 2010 |title=Michael J Fox hedersdoktor på KI |url=http://www.nyteknik.se/nyheter/bioteknik_lakemedel/medicin_teknik/article740544.ece |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100526050232/http://www.nyteknik.se/nyheter/bioteknik_lakemedel/medicin_teknik/article740544.ece |archive-date=May 26, 2010 |access-date=August 25, 2010 |website=Ny Teknik |language=sv}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=March 5, 2010 |title=Michael J. Fox Gets Doctored |url=http://uk.eonline.com/uberblog/b170318_michael_j_fox_gets_doctored.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100801093226/http://uk.eonline.com/uberblog/b170318_michael_j_fox_gets_doctored.html |archive-date=August 1, 2010 |access-date=August 23, 2010 |website=[[E! News]]}}</ref> He received an honorary doctorate of laws from the [[University of British Columbia]].<ref>{{cite news |date=May 23, 2008 |title=Michael J. Fox 'deeply moved' by honorary degree from UBC |url=http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=411f8372-c535-49fc-bf38-2145f5e5cb7c |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120822035639/http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=411f8372-c535-49fc-bf38-2145f5e5cb7c |archive-date=August 22, 2012 |access-date=August 23, 2010 |newspaper=[[The Vancouver Sun]]}}</ref> His third book, ''A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Future: Twists and Turns and Lessons Learned'', was released in 2010.<ref name=":0">{{cite news |last=Khakpour |first=Porochista |author-link=Porochista Khakpour |title=Review &#124; Michael J. Fox mixes candor, humor and hope in his heartfelt new memoir |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/michael-j-fox-mixes-candor-humor-and-hope-in-his-heartfelt-new-memoir/2020/11/23/e40ccbe4-2b4b-11eb-9b14-ad872157ebc9_story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201060824/https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/michael-j-fox-mixes-candor-humor-and-hope-in-his-heartfelt-new-memoir/2020/11/23/e40ccbe4-2b4b-11eb-9b14-ad872157ebc9_story.html |archive-date=December 1, 2020 |access-date=January 19, 2021 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref>

On May 31, 2012, he received an honorary degree of [[Doctor of Laws]] from the [[Justice Institute of British Columbia]]<ref>{{cite web |date=May 31, 2012 |title=Celebrating Convocation |url=http://jibc.ca/news/celebrating-convocation |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120618002753/http://www.jibc.ca/news/celebrating-convocation |archive-date=June 18, 2012 |access-date=June 15, 2012 |website=[[Justice Institute of British Columbia]]}}</ref> to recognize his accomplishments as a performer as well as his commitment to raising research funding and awareness for Parkinson's disease. Fox recalled performing in role-playing simulations as part of police recruit training exercises at the Institute early in his career.

In 2016, his organization created a raffle to raise awareness for Parkinson's disease and raised $6.75 million, with the help of [[Nike, Inc.]] via two auctions, one in Hong Kong and the other in London.<ref>{{cite web |last=Rooney |first=Kyle |date=October 21, 2016 |title=The Michael J. Fox Foundation does raffle with Nike to raise awareness for Parkinson's disease |url=http://www.hotnewhiphop.com/nike-mag-raffle-reportedly-raised-s675-million-for-parkinsons-research-news.24878.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161021120820/http://www.hotnewhiphop.com/nike-mag-raffle-reportedly-raised-s675-million-for-parkinsons-research-news.24878.html |archive-date=October 21, 2016 |access-date=October 21, 2016 |website=[[HotNewHipHop]]}}</ref>

In 2020, his fourth book, ''No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality'', was released.<ref name=":0" />

At the 2022 [[Governors Awards]], Fox was awarded the [[Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award]] for his efforts in fighting Parkinson's, having raised over $1 billion for research.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Buchanan |first=Kyle |date=November 20, 2022 |title=Michael J. Fox, Diane Warren and Cher at the Raucous Governors Awards |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/20/movies/michael-j-fox-diane-warren-cher-governors-awards-oscars.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221121220236/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/20/movies/michael-j-fox-diane-warren-cher-governors-awards-oscars.html |archive-date=November 21, 2022 |access-date=November 22, 2022 |newspaper=The New York Times |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=November 20, 2022 |title=Michael J. Fox receives honorary Oscar at emotional ceremony in Los Angeles |url=https://www.today.com/popculture/michael-j-fox-gets-honorary-oscar-parkinsons-work-emotional-ceremony-rcna58059 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221121223731/https://www.today.com/popculture/michael-j-fox-gets-honorary-oscar-parkinsons-work-emotional-ceremony-rcna58059 |archive-date=November 21, 2022 |access-date=November 22, 2022 |website=TODAY.com}}</ref> The award was presented by friend [[Woody Harrelson]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Richwine |first=Lisa |date=November 20, 2022 |title=Actor Michael J. Fox accepts honorary Oscar for Parkinson's advocacy |url=https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/actor-michael-j-fox-accepts-honorary-oscar-parkinsons-advocacy-2022-11-20/ |website=reuters.com}}</ref>

In a 2023 interview with [[Jane Pauley]] on ''[[CBS Sunday Morning]]'', Fox said, "I'm not gonna lie. It's getting harder. Every day it's tougher." He said he has had spinal surgery for a [[benign tumor]] and has broken bones in several falls.<ref>{{cite news |last=Heching |first=Dan |date=April 30, 2023 |title=Michael J. Fox calls Parkinson's disease 'the gift that keeps on taking' in candid new interview |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/30/entertainment/michael-j-fox-parkinsons-disease-cbs-interview/index.html |access-date=May 1, 2023 |work=[[CNN]]}}</ref>

He was named in ''[[Time Magazine]]'''s 2024 list of influential people in health.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Park |first=Alice |date=2024-05-02 |title=Michael J. Fox |url=https://time.com/6968408/michael-j-fox-2/ |access-date=2024-09-23 |magazine=TIME |language=en}}</ref>