They are finally here, folks! Nike’s Back to the Future inspired Self-Lacing Mags are no longer futuristic fantasy. They have arrived and the first person to get to try them on for size? Well, none other than Michael J. Fox himself. Truly a remarkable innovation that kids and gym jocks everywhere are going to fall in love with, these shoes make getting ready to hit the trail as simple as slipping your feet in and pusing a button.
While this is most certainly a victory for the field of footwear, Michael J. Fox has a slightly larger, and more important fight on his hands. Since his diagnosis with Parkinson’s disease, he has been fighting to increase awareness, funding, and research for a cure. The Michael J. Fox Foundation is doing some truly amazing work in this regard and they could use your support. Take a moment and see what they’re doing and start looking into ways you can lend a hand.
Parkinson’s Disease Facts
- Parkinson’s disease is named after Dr. James Parkinson who first identified the condition.
- The disease resuls when the brain begins to lose neurones within the substantia nigra. This is where dopamine is produced. When dopamine is reduced, this reduces the amount of dopamine that reaches the striatum. When that happens, movement is impaired.
- Nearly 4 million people around the world are afflicted with Parkinson’s disease. There is no cure.
- Most people develop symptoms after age 50, but it can happen anytime. In fact, 1 in 20 people are diagnosed before age 40.
- Symptoms can be treated with drug therapies, physical therapy, and speech therapy.