Michael J. Fox is reflecting on his dedication to eradicating Parkinson’s disease following his receipt of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
On January 4, the Back to the Future actor was honored with the nation’s highest civilian award by President Joe Biden at the White House. The 63-year-old later shared photos from the event on Instagram, expressing his gratitude.
“On behalf of the million or so people living with Parkinson’s and the millions more who love them, I am proud and honored to accept the Medal of Freedom from President Biden,” Fox said in a message. “No doubt I get the most attention in the PD community, but this is our fight, and support and recognition on this level is a great boost.”
He continued, “I firmly believe that we will eradicate Parkinson’s disease, and everyone who has contributed to the battle will have contributed to the triumph. Thank you. With hope and gratitude, Michael J. Fox.”
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is awarded to individuals who have made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal endeavors. The White House stated, “President Biden believes that strong leaders maintain the faith, give everyone a fair chance, and prioritize decency above all else. These nineteen individuals are extraordinary leaders who have made America and the world a better place.”
Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1991, publicly revealing his condition in 1998. Two years later, he founded the Michael J. Fox Foundation to fund research, which has since raised approximately two billion dollars in the search for a cure. In 2023, the foundation made significant strides by discovering a biomarker that can predict Parkinson’s disease before symptoms appear.
In an April 2024 interview with PEOPLE, Fox shared the emotional significance of this breakthrough: “It was one of the rare occasions when I shed tears over our work. Our goal was to develop a system that could identify the illness before symptoms appeared, allowing us to treat it and prevent you from ever experiencing it. It was a big break—and a great moment.”
Looking back on the moment when he first revealed his diagnosis in a PEOPLE cover story, Fox admitted that he was nervous, but the response was overwhelming. “The response was great. I couldn’t have been more grateful for the warm and supportive reaction… It served as a reward for all the hard work I had put in over the years.”
“I’m proud that I dared to talk about this and be open about it,” he said at the time. “People took it seriously; they treated it with gravity and seriousness.” Fox believes that the world has been affected by the cause he’s championed, not by him personally.