Michael J. Fox recalls secretly chatting with Parkinson's patients online

Michael J. Fox revealed that he anonymously joined online chatrooms for people living with Parkinson's disease after publicly sharing his diagnosis, hoping to understand how other patients felt about him becoming the face of the condition.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, the Back to the Future star said he logged into Parkinson's support forums without revealing his identity shortly after announcing his diagnosis in 1998.

Fox recalled being surprised by the overwhelmingly positive response to his decision to go public.

"Well, f--- you! I have Parkinson's and you're celebrating," he joked, describing his initial reaction to the praise.

However, he soon realised why people were responding that way.

"I got it. People back then would never in a million years tell you they had Parkinson's," he said, explaining that public awareness of the condition was far lower at the time.

Michael J. Fox says public diagnosis created connection with patients

Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1991 at the age of 29 but kept the diagnosis private for seven years before revealing it publicly in 1998.

Reflecting on that decision in a recent interview with the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, the actor said he carefully considered when and how to share the news.

"I need to see where this fits in my world and see how I can use it," Fox said.

He added that speaking openly about Parkinson's created a deeper connection with others living with the neurological condition.

"As a result, when people see me or talk to me, there is a connection that wouldn't have been there otherwise. There's an understanding."

Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurological disorder that affects movement and currently has no cure. According to the Parkinson's Foundation, more than 10 million people worldwide are living with the condition.