Michael J Fox receives Canada's highest civilian honour

Michael J. Fox has been honoured with Canada's highest civilian award, the Order of Canada, for his outstanding advocacy and candidness about Parkinson's disease. The Back to the Future star made a special appearance at Rideau Hall, the Governor General's official residence in Ottawa, to be elevated to the Companion level of the order.

Governor General Louise Arbour stated, "Your example reminds us of something very fundamental: sustainable progress requires courage, imagination, and determination." Fox, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 1998, established the Michael J. Fox Foundation in 2000, which has funded over $3 billion in research related to the disease.

He received the prestigious Bob Hope Humanitarian Award at the Emmy Awards last month, calling it an "amazing, humbling honor." Fox revealed that he initially kept his diagnosis a secret, fearing it would impact his career and relationships. However, the support he received from audiences and colleagues bolstered his resolve to live with Parkinson's, embracing it rather than surrendering to it.