Alan Alda Remains Strong In Spite Of Tragic Diagnosis

Apr 19, 2019 by apost team

One of America’s favorite actors, Alan Alda, has been a TV show favorite ever since the days when "M*A*S*H" was first on TV. He played Dr. Hawkeye Pierce, the romantic, sensitive and charismatic doctor and star of the popular 1970s TV program.

In 2018, Alda revealed some shocking health news to his fans during an appearance on "CBS This Morning." He told the early morning viewers that he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease about three and a half years earlier.

Alda wanted to come clean with his fans. He had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s, yet he's continued to live a full and normal life. He continues to act, give talks and assist at the Alda Center for Communicating Science in Stony Brook. He also began a podcast in 2018.

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Alda confessed on CBS that his first Parkinson’s symptom occurred when he had a dream that he was being attacked and threw a sack of potatoes at his attacker. When he woke up, he was hitting his wife with a pillow. Acting out your dreams remains a Parkinson’s symptom.

Mr. Alda said he noticed on television programs advertising his podcast that his thumb was twitching. That was when he decided to discuss his condition openly before someone else found out about it and would come up with a story about his diagnosis from a sad point of view.

"The reason I want to talk about it in public is that I was diagnosed three and a half years ago and I've had a full life since then," he told CBS.

He wanted his fans to realize that he’s the same guy he has always been, with the new matter of his Parkinson’s diagnosis to consider.

Alda also revealed that he was the one who asked for the diagnostic scan to be performed. He experienced a few symptoms, read up on Parkinson’s disease, and decided to get tested.

Since revealing his diagnosis, Alda’s symptoms haven't been too severe. He began taking boxing lessons around the time he opened up to the public and said he still liked to keep himself busy. 

He's gone on to share more information about Parkinson’s with his fans on his podcast, including a special interview between himself and Michael J. Fox. He’s also watching Parkinson’s research, looking for the latest news on the subject.

Alda said he looked at his situation as a puzzle to be solved, adding, "I enjoy solving puzzles. It's really fun."

What is your favorite film or TV episode with Alan Alda? Let us know and pass this along to your friends and family to raise awareness about Parkinson's disease.