How Michael J. Fox Reminds Us to Move Forward
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Med-Lab
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What’s the first thing you think of when you hear the name “Michael J. Fox”? For some, it’s Back to the Future. For many, it’s Parkinson’s.
With the release of Fox’s documentary titled Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie, which details his ongoing struggle with daily life with the disease, providing hope for those also suffering from Parkinson’s - something struck us. There are parallels between the values Fox exemplifies and those we strive for at Med-Lab.
From rising to fame on the sitcom Family Ties to becoming a global hit in the 80s by starring in the Back to the Future movie franchise, Fox was thrust into the spotlight and became a star from an early age. As his Parkinson’s further developed in his late 20s, it became difficult to hide his condition. However, rather than letting his sickness prevent him from doing what he loved, he tackled forward in full force. He took on the responsibility of becoming one of the faces of the disease to raise awareness for it. He opened The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research in 2000 and continues to hold several yearly fundraising events for the cause through the foundation.
Fox shows us how despite being dealt with a life-altering circumstance, it is still possible to move forward and turn those moments into opportunities for growth. At Med-Lab, we often face circumstances with our customers where their life-saving tools become non-operational or need some maintenance. In those moments, our customers face patient care challenges, requiring us to act quickly and with purpose. We’ve learned how to turn these moments of concern and frustration into ones of trust and action. Our relationships with customers grow out of these high-pressure situations.
There is also a direct parallel between Parkinson’s disease and the technology used to diagnose it – technology Med-Lab is intimately familiar with. It is an awful affliction and the second-most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s. In the U.S. alone, nearly 90,000 people are diagnosed with Parkinson’s yearly . While the disease currently has no known cure, there are treatments available to control the symptoms, and numerous research efforts have long been underway - several aided by Fox’s efforts - to develop a cure. Research has shown that MRI and CT technology has successfully provided early detection opportunities. MRIs, specifically, are able to “detect damaged brain neurons that can indicate Parkinson’s and potentially predict the severity of future symptoms.” CT scans will also detect signs of the disease, but primarily in severe cases.
Parkinson’s disease, and all the challenges it brings to people daily, is a reminder of why our industry must continue evolving. Having the technology and the capability to aid in preventing or delaying the severity of this disease and diseases like it can significantly impact the lives of those affected. This calling keeps us humble in our understanding that everything we do is hard because everything our customers do is harder – like providing critical patient care.
If you’re interested in learning more or donating to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, please visit michaeljfox.org.
Photo by: Teodor Bjerrang
