Michael J. Fox received a standing ovation at the Emmys on Monday night as he accepted the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award for his contributions to Parkinson’s disease research and advocacy, writes Variety.
The five-time Emmy winner thanked the Television Academy for the “amazing, humbling honour” before reflecting on the impact of the award and the journey that followed his Parkinson’s diagnosis.
Fox was introduced by his The Good Wife co-star Julianna Margulies. Speaking about Bob Hope, whose name the award carries, Fox said the entertainer’s dedication to helping others had inspired him.
Fox recalled being diagnosed with Parkinson’s in his late 20s and initially keeping the condition private because he feared it could affect his career and relationships with audiences. He said the support he received from fans helped him realise that accepting the disease did not mean surrendering to it.
“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 his goal was to advocate for Parkinson’s research and raise funds for the cause. He credited his team with leading the effort and said he remained proud of the progress made for patients and their families.
Fox also thanked the staff, donors, researchers and patient community supporting the Michael J. Fox Foundation. He expressed gratitude to his wife, family and Hope for showing him how humanitarian work could make a difference.
Fox was also nominated for guest actor in a comedy series for his appearance on Shrinking, but the award went posthumously to Rob Reiner.
The Family Ties star founded the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research in 2000, after publicly revealing his diagnosis in 1991 at the age of 29.
Oprah Winfrey became the first recipient of the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award when it was introduced in 2002. The honour recognises members of the television industry whose humanitarian efforts have had a lasting impact on society. Last year, Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen received the award.
