Ryan Reynolds Champions Parkinson’s Awareness Month: Sharing Stories, Reducing Stigma
Ryan Reynolds, known for his role as Deadpool, is also a savvy entrepreneur with huge ventures and a soccer club. Recently, he has been caught in a legal feud involving his wife, Blake Lively, and Justin Baldoni. However, beyond the drama, Reynolds is deeply rooted in family values. His father, James Chester Reynolds, passed away on October 28 at 74 due to Parkinson's disease. As April approaches, Parkinson's Awareness Month, Reynolds took the time to spread awareness about the deadly disease, honoring his father's memory.
Ryan Reynolds has long shared the impact of his father's battle with illness, and once again, he is using his platform to highlight the need for awareness, research, and understanding for those affected.
Ryan Reynolds brings attention to Parkinson’s: challenging stigma and sharing real experiences
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In a recent Instagram post, Ryan Reynolds shared his ongoing commitment to the Michael J. Fox Foundation, where he has served as a board member for nearly 15 years. Reflecting on Parkinson’s Awareness Month, he honored his father’s struggle with the disease and acknowledged the emotional toll on his mother as his "caregiver". Reynolds also spoke at a panel alongside Dr. Fiona Gupta and Jimmy Choi, aiming to raise awareness about Parkinson related hallucinations and reducing stigma surrounding the disease.
Reynolds also highlighted the importance of conversations around Parkinson related hallucinations and delusions, stressing their role in raising awareness. Together with the Michael J. Fox Foundation’s patient council, he hopes to shine a light on these lesser-known symptoms that often go unnoticed. He also recently opened up about the struggles faced by caregivers, shedding light on another crucial aspect of the disease.
Before spreading awareness on Instagram, Ryan Reynolds shared his mother's struggles in caring for his father at an event.
Ryan Reynolds highlights the emotional toll of caregiving
At a recent Acadia Pharmaceuticals event, Ryan Reynolds opened up about the immense burden caregivers face, ssharing his personal experience with his father’s Parkinson’s diagnosis. He highlighted how caregivers often neglect their own well-being while caring for others, leading to what he calls "caregiver fatigue." Reynolds spoke deeply about his mother’s role as his father’s primary caregiver, noting how challenging it is when the patient refuses help. He emphasized that the caregivers' struggles deserve as much attention as the patients' in these situations.
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Reynolds revealed how his father, a proud man, never discussed the psychological impact of Parkinson’s, including hallucinations and delusions, which he only learned about after his father’s passing. Reynolds highlighted how treatment could have improved his father’s well-being and joined the More to Parkinson’s campaign to support patients and caregivers. And now his Instagram post is further sparking awareness, shedding light on the disease’s hidden effects and caregiver struggles.
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What do you think about Ryan Reynolds' Instagram post spreading awareness? Let us know in the comments below.
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Edited By: Hriddhi Maitra
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