The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research

Whether you’re in the emergency room, admitted to the hospital, staying overnight for observation or planning surgery, Parkinson’s symptoms and medications require special attention. Being in the emergency room or hospital — for any reason — can temporarily worsen symptoms or trigger new ones, such as confusion or falls.

On June 6, The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) CEO and Co-Founder Debi Brooks delivered remarks to the MBA Class of 2026 at Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business investiture ceremony. A member of the Tuck Board of Advisors and a Tuck alumna herself, Debi returned to campus 40 years after her own investiture to share lessons from her career, her partnership with Michael J. Fox and the journey of building MJFF into the world’s largest nonprofit funder of Parkinson’s research.

As the National Parkinson’s Project Advisory Council prepares to meet for the first time on June 29, I’ve been thinking about what this new chapter means for our community. The Council exists because people living with Parkinson’s, care partners, families, researchers and clinicians spent years making the case that this disease deserves a coordinated national response. They shared stories, educated policymakers and built the bipartisan support that led to the National Parkinson’s Project (NPP).

In May, The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) joined thousands of members of the global Parkinson’s community at the 7th World Parkinson Congress (WPC) in Phoenix, Arizona. The event brought together people living with Parkinson’s disease (PD), care partners, researchers, clinicians and advocates from more than 62 countries to share knowledge, celebrate progress and discuss the future of Parkinson’s research and care.

Washington, D.C. (June 25, 2026) — Ahead of the first meeting of the National Advisory Council on Parkinson’s Research, Care, and Services on June 29, 2026, the American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA), The Michael J.

For more than 200 years, Parkinson’s has been largely viewed as one disease characterized primarily by movement symptoms. As anyone touched by Parkinson’s disease (PD) knows, though, the experience is highly individualized. “Today, we know that ‘under the hood,’ there are different biological paths that may explain why symptoms and rate of progression vary from person to person,” explained Brian Fiske, PhD, chief scientist at MJFF.

In this video, Rachel Dolhun, MD, DipABLM, movement disorder specialist, lifestyle medicine physician and principal medical advisor at The Michael J. Fox Foundation, speaks with two guests on different aspects of how communication changes when someone is living with Parkinson’s. First, she talks with speech-language pathologist Alexandra Wynter Russel, MS, CCC-SLP, about tools and strategies to support voice, speech, memory and thinking in Parkinson’s.

Team Fox was founded on a simple idea: Empower individuals to turn their energy and determination into fundraising for high-impact science. Over two decades, the Team Fox community has raised tens of millions of dollars to support MJFF’s mission  to end Parkinson’s. What began as a small but mighty group has grown into a global movement, proving that anyone can be a force for good. This community’s commitment has helped propel discoveries that are reshaping what’s possible in Parkinson’s research.

Michael J. Fox returned to our TV screens in January 2026, appearing in season three of the award-winning Apple TV series Shrinking. This marks Michael’s first role since retiring in 2020 — an inspirational moment for the Parkinson’s community worldwide. Shrinking is a comedy-drama starring Harrison Ford as Dr. Paul Rhoades, a therapist grappling with his own vulnerability while living with Parkinson’s disease. Michael guest stars opposite Ford as Gerry, a client also navigating life with PD.

For years, research has suggested that artistic pursuits can improve physical and mental health. Now, Dutch investigators are testing whether art can boost dopamine levels in the brain and help ease symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Bastiaan (Bas) Bloem, MD, PhD, director of the Center of Expertise for Parkinson’s Disease at Radboud University Medical Center in the Netherlands, will lead an 18-month trial examining how creativity can help people living with Parkinson’s.