Michael J. Fox enriched by Parkinson's

Apr 14, 2010, 9:30 GMT

Michael J. Fox believes Parkinson's Disease has enriched his life.

The 'Back to the Future' actor claims the debilitating illness has "altered" his perception of what's important in life and forces him to do things he wouldn't normally want to.

He said: "If I didn't have Parkinson's then my life would have been more of the same - acting, travelling and being away from my family.

"My illness forced me to spend time with my family, to work on my foundation, and my life is so much richer because of it. It's altered my reality is such a positive way."

However, the 48-year-old star admits he is still hoping for a cure to the disease, but is continuing to be realistic about such a possibility.

He told website PopEater: "For every breakthrough there are so many failures.

"What I want to do is embody hope for a cure. People know we are out there and actively working for a cure and we are making lots of strides in bio markers and promoting stem cell research.

"Life gets really good when things get terrible. We all make plans, and somewhere along the way. Life will create holes, and we can fill them in ways we didn't plan or expect. I'm having a good time. My life is richer because of the holes."

Michael recently released a new autobiography, 'A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Future: Twists and Turns and Lessons Learned', in which he discusses his battle with the illness - a neurological disorder which leaves sufferers unable to speak clearly and affects the body's movements.