| Sourced from 4 independent sources · 1 point in dispute |
Geo News, Zoom TV, Internewscast, and Daily Mail
Sources agree on most key facts but differ on 1 point.
8 key facts · 8 corroborated · 1 disputed
Where sources differ
The year Michael J. Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
Geo News: Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1998.
Zoom TV Entertainment: Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1991 at age 29, later going public in 1998.
Internewscast: Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1991 and made his condition public in 1998.
Daily Mail: Fox has lived with Parkinson’s disease since 1991 and went public with his diagnosis in 1998.
This summary is compiled from the independent sources listed above.
Michael J. Fox was honoured at Rideau Hall in Ottawa on Friday, receiving the Companion level of the Order of Canada from Governor General Louise Arbour.
The 65-year-old actor and activist, described as being born in Edmonton, Alberta, was among 51 people inducted into or advanced within the order. Fox posed for photographs with Arbour and remained steady during the national anthem.
Recognition for Parkinson’s advocacy
The honour recognized Fox’s “powerful global advocacy and unflinching honesty about Parkinson’s,” an acknowledgement of work that has made his public life about far more than a celebrated screen career.
Arbour used her remarks to praise the qualities behind that work.
“Your example reminds us of something that’s very fundamental: sustainable progress requires that we move forward with courage, imagination and determination,” she said.
Then, with a reference to Fox’s best-known film title, Arbour added: “After all, back to the future has always been a much better idea than forward to the past.”
A foundation built for research
Fox established the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research in 2000. Its work has helped fund or raise more than about $3 billion for research, putting Fox at the centre of a major global effort to advance Parkinson’s research.
His advocacy has been defined by personal candour as well as fundraising. In remarks after receiving the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award at the Emmys last month, Fox spoke about the purpose he found in accepting the realities of the disease.
“I understood that accepting Parkinson’s didn’t mean I had to surrender to it,” Fox said. “It just meant I had to do everything I could for everyone living with this disease.”
He said he set out to advocate and raise money, adding that he was proud of progress made for Parkinson’s patients and their families.
Another humanitarian honour
The Order of Canada ceremony came only weeks after Fox received the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award, another recognition of work that has brought public attention and resources to Parkinson’s research.
At Rideau Hall, the moment was marked by a formal Canadian ceremony and a simple image: Fox alongside the Governor General, accepting one of the country’s most significant honours while the citation focused on the advocacy he has carried to a global audience.
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