Reverend Jesse Jackson has been a guiding force in Civil Rights activism for over 50 years. He’s a man of many facets: a baptist minister, presidential candidate, powerful orator, and activist. He spent years working with Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.– in fact, he was reportedly the last person to see King alive. He also marched in Selma, helped lead Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). He advocates for change through non-violent protest, and advocates for contemporary issues such as the Flint water crisis.
Jackson is now 76, and like most people, his age has taken a toll on his health. Although he’s a legendary historic figure, he is not immune to rare disease. Recently Jesse Jackson shared some difficult news with the public: he has Parkinson’s disease.
Parkinson’s disease is a condition that impacts the central nervous system. It causes problems with movement. Though the symptoms might begin with a slight hand tremor, they generally worsen over time, until a patient may not be able to walk or live on their own, and may exhibit other neurological symptoms such as hallucinations or slurred speech. There is currently no accepted treatment, but there is promising research that may eventually lead to one. To read more about Parkinson’s disease, click here.
Jesse Jackson was diagnosed with Parkinson’s back in 2015. He started having trouble performing everyday tasks. He avoided seeing a doctor at first, but eventually found that it was necessary. Tests confirmed the Parkinson’s diagnosis, and he’s received care from Northwestern Medical Center since.
It’s an especially hard diagnosis for Jackson because he’s already seen the effects of it in his own life. Although Parkinson’s is not usually passed through the family, he actually saw his own dad suffer from this neurodegenerative condition.
Although the situation may seem difficult, Jesse Jackson has spent his whole adult life surmounting obstacles against all odds.
As he said many years ago in his Keep Hope Alive! speech,
“If you fall behind, run faster. Never give up, never surrender, and rise up against the odds.”
Read more about this story in the Washington Post.
