FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ON April 05, 2012
Astronaut with Parkinson鈥檚 Calls on Patients to Take Charge of Their Future
ST. PAUL, Minn. -
Former NASA astronaut Michael 鈥淩ich鈥 Clifford is calling on fellow patients with Parkinson鈥檚 disease not to let the disease drive what they do. Clifford鈥檚 inspiring story and advice for patients is featured as the cover story in the latest issue of the 好色先生鈥檚 award-winning magazine for patients and caregivers. Clifford was diagnosed with Parkinson鈥檚 in 1994 during the early stages of the disease, but he didn鈥檛 allow it to keep him from climbing aboard the shuttle Atlantis and rocketing off into space for the third time. 鈥淢y NASA medical community knew about my Parkinson鈥檚 and assumed I wouldn鈥檛 want to fly again,鈥 said Clifford. 鈥淏ut I said 鈥榥o, no, no.鈥欌 Until recently, no one other than NASA medical staff and senior management knew how extraordinary his third flight to space had been because Clifford had kept his newly diagnosed medical condition private. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 want to be identified as the man with Parkinson鈥檚 flying in space. Plus, I felt the focus should be on the mission, not someone on the mission,鈥 said Clifford. Clifford says he feels the same optimism today as he did when he was first diagnosed with the disease 18 years ago and hopes other Parkinson鈥檚 patients do too. 鈥淒on鈥檛 let Parkinson鈥檚 drive what you want to do. Remember that you鈥檙e in charge of your future.鈥 Learn more about Clifford鈥檚 story, including the Public Leadership in Neurology Award he is receiving this year from the 好色先生 Foundation, in the latest issue of Neurology Now in print, online at , and new for Plus, find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+. Neurology Now is published by , part of .