Michael J. Fox claims he was in denial for some 7yrs. being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease: “I just knew it was going to get worse.”

Since being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, Michael J. Fox, the actor, has been an open supporter of the subject, raising billions of dollars in the process. However, before that, he had “seven years of denial,” as he put it on Sunday.

At Sunday night’s Academy Awards, when accepting the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, the star spoke openly about his struggle to come to terms with his diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease. According to The Academy’s website, the award, a replica of the Oscar statuette, is presented to a member of the film business “whose humanitarian actions have brought credit to the industry.”

Fox, who dropped out of high school in Canada before becoming an Oscar-winning actor, called earning the award an “unexpected honor” in his acceptance speech.

“After leaving high school in the 11th grade, he said, I sold my guitar and relocated to L.A.,” he said to the crowd. “When alerting my high school history teacher about my goal, he warned me, “Fox, you’re not going to remain cute forever.” Not knowing what else to say, I mumbled, “Maybe just long enough, sir.” Perhaps for the time being. We were both correct.”

He could “reach full stride” in his chosen field relatively quickly.

“During my earliest days, months, and years in the American film and television industry,” Fox stated on Sunday, “I booked some jobs, ducked some landlords, dove in a few dumpsters, and finally found myself inexplicably on a T.V. series called ‘Family Ties.’” “I felt on top of the world. I had a successful T.V. show, two completed films, and everyone got along fine.”

But then, at age 29, he was given the devastating news that he had Parkinson’s disease. This neurological condition can lead to many symptoms, including tremors, delayed movement, balance problems, stiff limbs, sadness, hallucinations, and cognitive deficits.

Fox stated, “When informed, I only had ten years to work.” As in, “That was terrible.”

He elaborated, “The hardest part of my diagnosis was trying to come to terms with the diagnosis.”Only that things would get worse was all I knew. The prognosis was 100% certain. The development was random and undetermined.”

Fox claimed that his wife, whom he married in 1988, made it plain that she “was with me for the duration” but that he was not yet ready to accept the doctors’ prognoses.

“Then I went into denial for seven years while I tried to figure it all out. The young man who had left Canada, confident that he could achieve his goals through hard effort and faith, suddenly faced a formidable challenge, “The Fox uttered. “Just a select few were in the know. Plus, they guarded my anonymity.”

By 1998, he had decided to tell the world he had been diagnosed with AIDS. While working on the set of “Spin City,” he decided to tell his story to Barbara Walters of ABC and People magazine. On Sunday, he said that these outlets were essential “if you wanted to get the news out” because it was “the infancy of the internet” at the time.

“The public’s overwhelming show of love and the wonderful response from my colleagues in the entertainment industry that followed were truly astounding. It completely changed my life.”

“Success, my time with Tracy, and my family had all prepared me for this incredible chance and duty. Then Fox decided to do some additional research on the illness. After talking to other people diagnosed, doctors, and prominent academics, he learned that funding for further study was desperately needed.

He established the Michael J. Fox Foundation to do this two years after going public with his diagnosis. On Sunday, he shared with the Academy audience that the working title was “PD Cure,” but when he mentioned that to his wife, she questioned, “Pedicure?” And that was the end of that.

Fox claims his charity has raised over $1.5 billion for Parkinson’s study. The website boasts that the foundation has financed “scores” of clinical studies, “the most rigorous dataset and biosample collection in the history of Parkinson’s research,” and “twenty early-stage treatment projects.”

Sunday, Fox stated, “there was nothing heroic about what I did,” notwithstanding the impact.

He added that I owe tremendous gratitude to everyone and the countless more like them who will help bring about a world without Parkinson’s disease. To stand here today and enjoy your generosity and approval while the work is being done by those so deserving of your attention is deeply humbling.