5 faces of Parkinson's disease, brought to you by Michael J. Fox.
There's still no cure for Parkinson's disease; Michael J. Fox wants to change that.
In 1998, Michael J. Fox revealed that he had been living with Parkinson's disease for the previous seven years.
The announcement came as a huge shock to the public. At the time of the announcement, Fox was the star of his own ABC sitcom, "Spin City." He joined a select group of public figures with the disease, alongside legendary boxer Muhammad Ali and then-Attorney General Janet Reno.
Fox strikes a post with Ali before giving Congressional testimony in 2002. Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images.
Then in 2000, he co-founded the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.
Using his celebrity to shine a light on the struggle people living with Parkinson's face, Fox's foundation hoped to get beyond building awareness and actually focus on helping others with the disease.
Fox speaks at a benefit to raise funds for stem cell research in 2004. Photo by Vince Bucci/Getty Images.
Since 2000, the organization has raised more than $450 million dedicated to Parkinson's research. Go, Michael!
In a new video, Fox is helping to demystify the disease in another way, too: by using his platform to tell others' stories.
Last year, the foundation released a video titled "Faces of Parkinson's." The video has five individuals with the disease explaining what their Parkinson's looks like. As Fox says at the beginning of the video, "I was 29 when I learned I had Parkinson's disease. I soon learned that each patient has their own version of Parkinson's, their own story to tell."
Here are five of those stories.
1. Susan Kauffman was diagnosed in 2006, two weeks after her 39th birthday.
"[Parkinson's] just came across me like, 'Where did this come from? Why me?'" she says. After a few years, Kauffman came to terms with the disease, resolving to do whatever she could to help find a cure.
All photos from The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.
2. New York-based artist Tom Shannon's first symptoms involved his sense of smell.
Soon after, he began to notice his arm cramping up. He describes Parkinson's effects on his work, and especially on his drawing, as "discouraging."
3. Tom Picone first noticed symptoms after his 50th birthday.
"I was writing thank you notes to people for my 50th birthday party," he says in the video. "I would start the note, and the letters would get smaller and smaller. Sooner or later, the hand wouldn't move."
4. Joyce Chu noticed something was up while she was running.
"I just had problems running. My right leg just didn't keep up with the left leg," she says, admitting that she didn't think much of it at the time. It wasn't until her husband asked what was wrong that Chu became more aware of the changes and early symptoms.
She resolved to run one final marathon before hanging up her sneakers.
5. Brian Grant played professional basketball for more than a decade before he was diagnosed with Parkinson's.
In 2005, Grant was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. Before the 2006 season, he announced his retirement from basketball. The eighth overall pick in the 1994 NBA draft, Grant was one of the world's elite athletes.
"My greatest fear is losing control of me," he said in a 2009 interview with ESPN, "Having someone have to take care of me. But that was at the beginning."
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12 non-threatening leadership strategies for women
We mustn't hurt a man's feelings.
Men and the feels.
Note: This an excerpt is from Sarah Cooper's book, How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings.
In this fast-paced business world, female leaders need to make sure they're not perceived as pushy, aggressive, or competent.
One way to do that is to alter your leadership style to account for the fragile male ego.
Should men accept powerful women and not feel threatened by them? Yes. Is that asking too much?
IS IT?
Sorry, I didn't mean to get aggressive there. Anyhoo, here are twelve non-threatening leadership strategies for women.
Encourage.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When setting a deadline, ask your coworker what he thinks of doing something, instead of just asking him to get it done. This makes him feel less like you're telling him what to do and more like you care about his opinions.
Sharing ideas.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When sharing your ideas, overconfidence is a killer. You don't want your male coworkers to think you're getting all uppity. Instead, downplay your ideas as just "thinking out loud," "throwing something out there," or sharing something "dumb," "random," or "crazy."
Email requests.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Pepper your emails with exclamation marks and emojis so you don't come across as too clear or direct. Your lack of efficient communication will make you seem more approachable.
Idea sharing.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
If a male coworker steals your idea in a meeting, thank him for it. Give him kudos for how he explained your idea so clearly. And let's face it, no one might've ever heard it if he hadn't repeated it.
Sexism.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When you hear a sexist comment, the awkward laugh is key. Practice your awkward laugh at home, with your friends and family, and in the mirror. Make sure you sound truly delighted even as your soul is dying inside.
Mansplain.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Men love explaining things. But when he's explaining something and you already know that, it might be tempting to say, "I already know that." Instead, have him explain it to you over and over again. It will make him feel useful and will give you some time to think about how to avoid him in the future.
Mistakes.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Pointing out a mistake is always risky so it's important to always apologize for noticing the mistake and then make sure that no one thinks you're too sure about it. People will appreciate your "hey what do I know?!" sensibilities.
Promotions.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Asking your manager for a promotion could make you seem power- hungry, opportunistic, and transparent. Instead, ask a male coworker to vouch for you. Have your coworker tell your manager you'd be great for the role even though you don't really want it. This will make you more likely to actually get that promotion.
Rude.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Sometimes not everyone is properly introduced at the start of a meeting. Don't take it personally even if it happens to you all the time, and certainly don't stop the meeting from moving forward to introduce yourself. Sending a quick note afterward is the best way to introduce yourself without seeming too self-important.
Interruptions.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When you get interrupted, you might be tempted to just continue talking or even ask if you can finish what you were saying. This is treacherous territory. Instead, simply stop talking. The path of least resistance is silence.
Collaboration.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When collaborating with a man, type using only one finger. Skill and speed are very off-putting.
Disagreements.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When all else fails, wear a mustache so everyone sees you as more man-like. This will cancel out any need to change your leadership style. In fact, you may even get a quick promotion!
In conclusion...
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Many women have discovered the secret power of non-threatening leadership. We call it a "secret power" because no one else actually knows about it. We keep our power hidden within ourselves so that it doesn't frighten and intimidate others. That's what makes us the true unsung heroes of the corporate world.
About the Author: Sarah Cooper
Sarah Cooper is a writer, comedian, and author of 100 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings. Her new book, How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings, is out now.
The comedic book cover.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
A satirical take on what it's like to be a woman in the workplace, Cooper draws from her experience as a former executive in the world of tech (she's a former Googler and Yahooer). You can get the book here.
This article was originally published on March 25, 2019.