To help bring our Parkinson’s community together from home, The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) premiered our new state-of-the-art animation video, “Together, We Can Solve the Parkinson’s Puzzle.” Hundreds of patients, families and supporters tuned in for the debut of the video featuring narration by Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning actor Alan Alda, who revealed his own Parkinson’s diagnosis in 2018.

The video illustrates the important role each individual within a family and community can play to help scientists piece together a fuller picture of Parkinson’s disease (PD). As Alda says in the video:

“By studying Parkinson’s together — with patients and their families participating in research studies —we can build a better overall picture of the disease. One day we’ll be able to stop it in its tracks. Until then, let’s work together to find better treatments and a cure for Parkinson’s and put The Michael J. Fox Foundation out of business.”

During the video’s premiere on Facebook, viewers were treated to an opportunity to hear from community members on how participating in research will bring us closer to the Foundation’s mission to eliminate PD. MJFF Co-Founder and Executive Vice Chairman Debi Brooks moderated a chat with Patient Council member Claudia Revilla and Team Fox supporter Jon Gilman about their experiences with research participation and how everyone can get involved in research today through the Foundation’s online clinical study Fox Insight. Debi Brooks explained the role we all can play:

“Everyone is needed for research. People with Parkinson’s like Claudia. People who don’t have Parkinson’s or any kind of family connection to Parkinson’s. I’m that kind of person — I participate in research and I’m typically referred to as a ‘control.’ People like Jon who don’t have a Parkinson’s connection, but over time has come to appreciate he happens to be at risk for Parkinson’s.”

While other trials may be currently affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the digital platform of Fox Insight collects data on the lived experience of those with and without Parkinson’s through online questionnaires every 90 days. If you join, you can also choose to complete special one-time surveys about topics of particular relevance in Parkinson’s, such as the impact of COVID-19 on our community.

Join Fox Insight, MJFF’s online clinical study where people with and without Parkinson's share information that could transform the search for better treatments. Register at foxinsight.org.