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Ozzy Osbourne-2010-by Kevin Burkett-

10 Famous People with Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s disease is a neurological disorder that develops slowly over time and is brought on by the loss of nerve cells in the area of the brain that regulates movement. Dopamine, a substance that aids in the coordination of movement, cannot be produced by the nerve cells as a result. The hallmark signs of Parkinson’s disease are rigidity, or stiffness in the body, slowness of movement where you cannot move your body as quickly as you would like, and shaking in the limbs (called a tremor) when the limbs are at rest. Parkinson’s disease also results in a number of symptoms that have nothing to do with movement, such as gastrointestinal problems, a loss of smell, chronic pain, depression, and blood pressure problems.

According to the Parkinson’s Foundation, there are over 10 million cases of Parkinson’s disease globally, with 1 million people living with it in the United States alone. It can be reassuring to learn of other people who have Parkinson’s disease after receiving a diagnosis that can change your life. It can also make you feel less alone to know that one of your favorite public personalities is dealing with symptoms similar to your own. These well-known people have spoken out about their illnesses, bringing prominence to illnesses that the general public may not be aware of much, if at all.

Read also; 20 Famous People who Batlled with Depression

Famous Actors with Parkinson’s Disease

1. Alan Alda

Alan Alda 2015-by Moody College of Communication-

Alphonso Joseph D’Abruzzo, better known by his stage as Alan Alda, was born on January 28, 1936, in the United States. During a July 2018 appearance on the CBS This Morning TV news program, the award-winning M*A*S*H actor said that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. He has discovered that exercising keeps him optimistic. He stated on Today in 2019 that “doing a lot of particular exercises helps halt the progression of the disease, therefore I do a lot of crazy things.” These “wild things” are said to include boxing, juggling, tennis, swimming, marching, and biking for this Marriage Story star.

Alda maintained his optimism when confirming the news of his illness on Twitter. In order to inspire others to take action, he wrote, “I choose to let people know I have Parkinson’s and I lead a full life.” “I produce my beloved podcast in addition to acting and giving presentations. Keep active if you receive a diagnosis!”

2. Michael J. Fox

Canadian-American actor Michael Andrew Fox OC, better known by his stage name Michael J. Fox, was born on June 9, 1961.  One of the most well-known individuals with Parkinson’s disease is Michael J. Fox. Many people remember him as the youthful, attractive star of the hugely successful 1980s TV comedy series Family Ties and the well-liked Back to the Future films. Fox had Parkinson’s disease when most people do, between the ages of 40 and 60, but his diagnosis didn’t stop him from living a full life.

He revealed to the world in 1998 that he had Parkinson’s disease with early onset, and two years later he established the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. Fox is dedicated to assisting the foundation in raising money for research into the causes, symptoms, and treatment of Parkinson’s disease. Along with his advocacy activities, he continues to work as an actor; some of his more recent appearances have included Parkinson’s patients in the TV series The Good Wife and Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Read also; Top 15 Famous Canadian actors

3. Bob Hoskins

Bob Hoskins filming ruby blue-by James Stewart-

Robert William Hoskins was an English actor who lived from 26 October 1942 to 29 April 2014. Hoskins revealed in 2012 that Parkinson’s disease had pushed him into retirement. He is best known for his award-winning performance in the 1982 movie The Long Good Friday and for providing the voiceover in the 1988 film Who Framed Roger Rabbit. He kept the specifics of his condition a secret, but in an interview with Saga Magazine in 2012, he stated, “My goal is to retire. However, I’m not doing very well at it.” When he finally did retire, he made it known that, after quitting the performing business, he would be concentrating on leading a healthy lifestyle.

Famous Singers with Parkinson’s Disease

4. Ozzy Osbourne

John Michael “Ozzy” Osbourne, an English singer, songwriter, and television personality was born on December 3, 1948. In a tearful interview with Robin Roberts on Good Morning America, the former Black Sabbath frontman Osbourne shared the news of his Parkinson’s disease diagnosis. Osbourne, who was accompanied by his wife Sharon, revealed that he had received a Parkinson’s diagnosis in February 2019 as a result of a number of health difficulties. However, his condition is moderate, and as Sharon stressed, “it’s not a death sentence by any stretch of the imagination.”

5. Neil Diamond

Neil Diamond 2-by Irisgerh –

American singer-songwriter Neil Leslie Diamond was born on January 24, 1941. He is one of the best-selling musicians of all time, with more than 130 million recordings sold globally. On January 22, 2018, Diamond declared that he was ending his touring career due to a recent Parkinson’s diagnosis. He made the announcement that he will have to postpone upcoming concerts in Australia and New Zealand while on his 50th-anniversary tour. Diamond told his followers that he would carry on creating music and recording it, but he would no longer give live performances. He was given a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2018 Grammy Awards and was elected into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011.

6. Linda Ronstadt

Linda Ronstadt Performing-by Carl Lender-

Linda Maria Ronstadt is a retired American singer who has worked and recorded in a variety of musical styles, including rock, country, light opera, the Great American Songbook, and Latin. She was born on July 15, 1946. Known for her resonant soprano voice as the Stone Poneys’ lead singer in the 1960s, Linda Ronstadt revealed to AARP The Magazine in 2013 that she had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

Ronstadt claims that her health never fully recovered from two extremely painful tick bites in the 1980s, but she didn’t see a neurologist until she was unable to sing. The latest film Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice examines the legacy that Ronstadt has left behind, even after her illness prevented her from performing. In 2019, she told People, “In my mind, in my imagination, I can still sing.”

Read also; 20 Famous People from the 70s

Famous Athletes with Parkinson’s Disease

7. Brian Grant

Brian Wade Grant, a former professional basketball player from the United States, was born on March 5, 1972. Brian Grant played for the Sacramento Kings, Portland Trail Blazers, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers, and Phoenix Suns throughout the course of his 12-year career in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was well-known for both his work with underprivileged kids and his positive attitude toward the team while playing in the NBA.

He was identified as having early-onset Parkinson’s disease in January 2009, after retiring from the basketball league, according to an interview with ESPN. Later, he established the Brian Grant Foundation, whose mission is to inspire people with Parkinson’s disease to use exercise as a form of treatment and to spread awareness of the disease.

8. Freddie Roach

Freddie Roach-by Frederick Manligas Nacino-

Frederick Steven Roach, a former professional boxer and current boxing trainer from the United States, was born on March 5, 1960. In the HBO series Real Sports, Bryant Gumbel included Roach’s tale, which described how he used medication to manage his Parkinson’s illness while continuing to work as a trainer. Roach owns the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, California, where he teaches well-known boxers despite having Parkinson’s disease symptoms for more than 20 years. Amir Khan, Manny Pacquiao, Mark Wahlberg, and Georges St. Pierre are just a few of the celebrities on his client roster. Parkinson’s disease has caused his speech to slur and his left arm to quiver, but it hasn’t diminished his dedication to boxing. 

Famous Politician with Parkinson’s Disease

9. Janet Reno

Janet Wood Reno, an American lawyer who died on November 7, 2016, was born on July 21, 1938, and she was the 78th attorney general of the United States. Reno, the first woman to hold the office of U.S. attorney general, served in that capacity from 1993 to 2001. She was given a diagnosis with Parkinson’s disease only two years after being nominated for the position in 1995. Although Reno’s Parkinson’s was advanced, she was still able to guest star as herself in a 2013 episode of The Simpsons, presiding over a trial in which Bart Simpson was the defendant. Reno took medicine to manage her symptoms.

Famous Astronaut with Parkinson’s Disease

10. Michael Richard Clifford

Michael Clifford-by NASA-

Michael Richard Clifford, a former US Army officer, and NASA astronaut, was born on October 13, 1952, and he passed away on December 28, 2021. Clifford was given a 1994 Parkinson’s disease (PD) diagnosis, yet he kept flying. The earliest symptoms of Clifford’s Parkinson’s disease, which initially manifested as difficulties using his right arm and hand correctly, appeared when he was 42 and appeared to be in good condition. He received the Public Leadership in Neurology Award from the American Academy of Neurology in 2012 for raising awareness of Parkinson’s disease and motivating others who have it to keep pursuing their goals.

Parkinson’s disease currently has no known cure, although there are therapies that can aid with symptom relief and quality of life maintenance. Supportive therapies like physiotherapy are some of these treatments.