Michael J. Fox has spent decades entertaining audiences, but some of his most meaningful work has happened away from the screen. The Canadian actor was recently promoted to Companion of the Order of Canada, the highest civilian honor within the country, in recognition of his longtime advocacy for people living with Parkinson’s disease.
Fox received the honor during a ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa on October 2. He was originally appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2010, making his newest recognition a promotion within the Order. Companion is the highest of its three levels and recognizes people whose achievements and service have made an extraordinary impact.
For Fox, the honor comes after more than 25 years of turning his own experience with Parkinson’s into a way to help others. He was diagnosed with the disease in 1991 at just 29 years old, though he kept the diagnosis private until 1998. Two years later, he founded The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.
Since then, the foundation has grown into the world’s largest nonprofit funder of Parkinson’s research, investing billions of dollars into finding better treatments and, ultimately, a cure. Fox has also used his own voice to raise awareness, speaking candidly about what it is actually like to live with the disease and advocating for more research.
That openness has earned Fox plenty of recognition over the years. Just last month, he received the Television Academy’s Bob Hope Humanitarian Award for his contributions to Parkinson’s research and advocacy. The award is one of the Television Academy’s rarest honors and recognizes people in the television industry whose humanitarian work has made a lasting impact.
The honor also carries a personal meaning for Fox, who was born in Alberta and raised largely in British Columbia. Even after building a career that took him around the world, Canada has remained an important part of his identity.
Over the years, Fox has received plenty of awards for his acting, but this one recognizes something different. By sharing his own experience with Parkinson’s and pushing for better research and treatment, he has turned a difficult diagnosis into work that continues to have an impact far beyond his own life.
Michael J Fox was recently promoted to Companion of the Order of Canada due to his dedication to Parkinson’s advocady.
Source: Michael J. Fox, actor and advocate, promoted within Order of Canada
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