About a month ago I was watching an episode of The Daily Show and Michael J. Fox was the guest. I’m assuming it was part of the traditional media blitz that occurs when you are promoting something. That night, Fox was promoting his new book, Always Looking Up. After watching the interview, I made a mental note to keep an eye out for the book and at least check it out, if not make the full purchase. I happened to pass by the book section at the Target beneath Shinra Headquarters (my job) and decided to pick it up.

This was an interesting story to read. I never really knew Michael J. Fox. I didn’t grow up with him as he starred as Alex P. Keaton. Back to the Future was not a childhood memory of mine. I really didn’t know Michael J. Fox before he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. Of course, I had never heard of PD before then, but my point is that it wasn’t as big of a shock to me when he comes out now and you can clearly see the effects of this disease compared to a time before PD when he was driving a DeLorean. The book addresses four different subjects: Work, Politics, Faith and Family. I’m including a few quotes that stood out to me. No critical analysis or thought provoking responses, just some food for thought.

For everything this disease has taken, something with greater value has been given – sometimes just a marker that points me in a new direction that I might not otherwise have traveled.

I didn’t have to let the terms of a disease define me – I could redefine the terms. And maybe in the process get a better deal for me and everyone else in my situation.

Incurable disease is a nonpartisan problem that will require a bipartisan solution. The desire to alleviate suffering and save lives speaks not to our allegiance to any party or ideology but to our humanity.

Sadly, I lost my notes for the second half of the book. But I’ll consider it a blessing and just say that you should pick this up. There’s no point in me spoiling the whole book for you. Bottom line: it was money well spent.

As we all know, Diabetes is not a disease that you can see. We all know how it affects us, how it hard we have to work at keeping everything under control. But the relative invisibility of Diabetes makes our fight for awareness significantly more difficult than one for PD. I’m not trying to be insensitive, but if I am standing next to Michael J. Fox, you can immediately tell that one of us is sick. That’s just how it is.

But the fight for a cure to PD can still benefit Diabetics and countless others suffering from an incurable disease. The fight for increased stem cell research among other scientific endeavors is one that we all can get behind. One can hope.

Here’s a link to Amazon.com for the book. I don’t get a referral bonus or anything, just trying to help out an eager-reader.

click to visit the Michael J. Fox Foundation