The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research was launched in 2000 by Michael J. Fox, the iconic actor, author and advocate. Fox founded the organization after publicly disclosing his 1991 diagnosis with Parkinson's disease at age 29.
What began as one man's response to a devastating diagnosis has grown into the world's largest nonprofit funder of Parkinson's research. The insufficient resources and limited treatment options available for Parkinson's disease became the catalyst for Fox to dedicate his platform and influence to accelerating progress toward a cure.
Under Fox's leadership and advocacy, the Foundation has fundamentally altered the trajectory of progress toward a cure. The organization has created an unprecedented model of research funding and global engagement, bringing together scientists, patients, business leaders, clinical trial participants, donors and advocates in an aggressively targeted approach to finding better treatments and ultimately a cure.
Although a cure has not yet been achieved, Fox's unfaltering work and the Foundation's strategic investments have paved the way for remarkable advances. In the last decade alone, there have been 20 newly approved treatments to help with symptom management, and there are more than 150 different approaches in various phases of clinical testing.
With a mission to accelerate a cure for Parkinson's disease and improved therapies for those living with the condition today, the Foundation continues to build upon more than two decades of progress as they work toward their vision of a world without Parkinson's disease. Having funded more than $2.5 billion in research to date, they have enabled transformative research breakthroughs that are bringing us closer than ever to better treatments and a cure.
In 2023, the Foundation achieved a monumental breakthrough when an international coalition of scientists discovered a Parkinson's biomarker — a tool that can detect the earliest biological signs of the disease in living people. This discovery opens the door to more effective clinical trials and the possibility of personalized care for each Parkinson's patient.
Parkinson's is a complex brain disease that progressively gets worse over time, affecting an estimated 6 million people worldwide and 1 million people in the United States. With no cure currently available, the Foundation's work is urgently needed to support the families navigating Parkinson's today and those who may be diagnosed tomorrow.
Beyond research, the Foundation has created tools for everyone to play a vital and personal role in speeding a cure, including free guides, events, webinars, podcasts and online social platforms.
Photos via The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research