Look To The Stars News: Michael J. Fox

Michael J. Fox Calls On Parkinson's Patients In Neurology Now

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 14:45:00 +0000

In his continued quest to outfox Parkinson’s disease, actor Michael J. Fox is calling on people with Parkinson’s and those without the disease to join the Fox Trial Finder, a new web tool that connects volunteers with clinical trials that desperately need Parkinson’s patients to test new drugs and other treatments.

Fox and his Fox Trial Finder are featured in the latest issue of Neurology Now, the American Academy of Neurology’s award-winning magazine for patients and caregivers, published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, part of Wolters Kluwer Health.

Oprah Chats With Ralph Lauren For Charity

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 11:30:00 +0000

Oprah’s charity chat with Ralph Lauren in front of an audience at the Lincoln Center on Monday night raised more than $7 million for the fashion designer’s cancer care center in East Harlem.

Oprah chatted with Lauren in front of guests such as Michael J. Fox, Brian Williams, Anna Wintour, Martha Stewart and Naomi Watts at the event. Some proceeds from the event also went to the Lincoln Center.

The Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Care and Prevention is a community based Center for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through new models of patient care, research, education and outreach designed to address the unique needs of the community. The Center, made possible by a generous gift from the Ralph Lauren Corporation, is a partnership with Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Located in East Harlem, New York, just one block from historic 125th Street, the Center features a warm, friendly environment where guests can count on personalized attention.

Former Presidents Join With Royalty For Celebrity Charity Day

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 13:00:00 +0000

BGC Partners Inc, a leading global brokerage company primarily servicing the wholesale financial markets, has announced that, together with Cantor Fitzgerald, it raised approximately $12 million globally at their Annual Charity Day on Monday, September 12, 2011.

Every year, BGC and Cantor Fitzgerald donate 100% of their global revenues on the day to more than 75 charities around the world by hosting charities and celebrity ambassadors at their offices in commemoration of the 658 employees we lost in the World Trade Center attacks. The guests joined licensed brokers to conduct transactions with BGC and Cantor Fitzgerald clients. Including today, Charity Day has raised approximately $77 million globally.

BGC Partners was honored to be joined by many distinguished guests including President George W. Bush and President Bill Clinton in New York and His Royal Highness Prince Harry in London. Prince Harry broke the world record set by his brother HRH Prince William for the largest foreign currency trade when he closed a foreign exchange deal worth euro 18 billion. Prince Harry, who attended on behalf of Sentebale, the charity he founded to support vulnerable children and orphans in Lesotho, completed the deal between Barclays London and a European counter-party based on projected currency values between the 13th and 14th September.

Michael J. Fox Foundation To Benefit From Charity Auction

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 12:30:00 +0000

Nike has announced that 1500 pairs of the mythical 2011 Nike MAG shoes will be auctioned on eBay, Nikemag.eBay.com, with all net proceeds going directly to The Michael J. Fox Foundation.

“This project is exciting to me because it brings together three very passionate audiences: the Parkinson’s community, sneakerheads and Back to the Future fans,” said Michael J. Fox. “With their support we can accelerate our objective of finding a cure for Parkinson’s.”

The Nike MAG shoes originally captured the imagination of audiences in Back to the Future II, when the character Marty McFly, played by Michael J. Fox, wore them in the year 2015. Nike has been urged to release the shoes for many years. In May 2011, a generous 50 million dollar match grant was given to The Michael J. Fox Foundation by Sergey Brin and Anne Wojcicki. They will match up to 50 million dollars raised by the Foundation through the end of 2012. The timing was perfect to bring the 2011 Nike MAG back to support a bigger idea.

Michael J. Fox Helps Make BTIG Charity Day A Success

Fri, 29 Apr 2011 11:30:00 +0000

BTIG LLC, a global financial services firm specializing in institutional trading and related brokerage services, today announced it raised more than $4 million at its 9th Commissions for Charity Day, held on April 27.

BTIG will donate the money to more than 100 children’s charities all over the country, including All Stars Helping Kids, Autism Speaks, Deafness Research Foundation, Food Allergy Initiative, Franciscan Hospital for Children, Hedge Funds Care, Jacob’s Cure, Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, Project Sunshine, Smile Train, Solving Kids Cancer, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, St. Mary’s Healthcare System for Children, The Happy Hearts Fund.

Over the past nine years BTIG’s Annual Commissions for Charity Day has raised more than $24 million from equity, fixed income and derivative trading commission profits to support various nonprofit organizations. This was the first year BTIG held Commissions for Charity Day internationally in its offices in Hong Kong, Singapore, Sydney and London.

BTIG To Host Celebrity Charity Day

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 11:00:00 +0000

BTIG LLC, a global financial services firm specializing in institutional trading and related brokerage services, will hold its 2011 Commissions for Charity Day on Wednesday, April 27.

BTIG’s Annual Commissions for Charity Day has raised more than $20 million from equity, fixed income and derivative trading commission profits over the last eight years to support various nonprofit organizations. This year’s annual celebrity-filled event will support several organizations that deal with important issues facing children, including All Stars Helping Kids, Autism Speaks, Deafness Research Foundation, Food Allergy Initiative, Franciscan Hospital for Children, Hedge Funds Care, Jacob’s Cure, Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, Project Sunshine, Smile Train, Solving Kids Cancer, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, St. Mary’s Healthcare System for Children, The Happy Hearts Fund.

Celebrities who will be attending this year’s Commissions for Charity Day in BTIG’s New York office in support of the event and their charitable foundations include Michael J. Fox, Matt Dillon, Brooklyn Decker, Tori Praver, Darryl Strawberry, Nick Swisher, Eli Manning, Steve Schirripa, Sean Avery, John McEnroe, Joe Girardi, Justin Tuck, Petra Nemcova, Tom Coughlin, Bode Miller, Reggie Jackson, Joe Namath, and NYSE Euronext CEO Duncan Niederauer. In addition, Ronnie Lott, Joe Morgan, and Tony Gonzalez will be in BTIG’s San Francisco office, and Kevin Connolly and Emmanuelle Chriqui of “Entourage,” and Marcus Allen will be in the Los Angeles office.

Ryan Reynolds Launches Facebook Charity Challenge For Michael J Fox Foundation

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 12:30:00 +0000

Actor Ryan Reynolds, who sits on the Board of Directors of The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, is challenging his fans and the general public to get involved in helping to speed a cure for Parkinson’s by “liking” the Foundation’s Facebook page.

If the Foundation reaches 100,000 Facebook fans as part of its national Parkinson’s Awareness Month campaign, Reynolds will add $10,000 to his cumulative giving to the Foundation.

Michael J. Fox Hosts Celebrity Charity Event At Ralph Lauren Store

Fri, 08 Apr 2011 14:00:00 +0000

On Thursday, April 7, Michael J. Fox and his wife, Tracy Pollan, hosted an evening of cocktails and charitable shopping at the Ralph Lauren Men’s store at 867 Madison Avenue to benefit The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.

Michael J Fox and Tracy Pollan

Ralph Lauren Launches Michael J. Fox Charity Dog Tags

Fri, 01 Apr 2011 15:00:00 +0000

Polo Ralph Lauren is collaborating with The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research to create an exclusive limited-edition Michael J. Fox Foundation Dog Tag and raise public awareness of Parkinson’s disease.

The dog tags will debut in April during Parkinson’s Awareness Month. Polo Ralph Lauren will donate one hundred percent of the net proceeds from the sale to support the Foundation and its mission to find a cure for the disease.

“The dog tag offers a simple, yet meaningful way to get involved and express solidarity with the millions of Parkinson’s patients and their loved ones worldwide,” said Tracy Pollan, actress, Foundation board member and wife of Michael J. Fox.

Kelly Clarkson And Bret Michaels To Perform At Muhammad Ali Celebrity Charity Event

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 15:30:00 +0000

Muhammad Ali’s annual celebrity charity Fight Night is to return to Arizona this month.

Celebrity Fight Night XVII will be hosted by Grammy Award-winning superstar of country music Reba McEntire, who is returning for her sixth time as emcee. The black tie event will begin with cocktails and a silent auction with dinner, an exciting live auction and entertainment to follow. Billy Crystal will make a special introduction of Muhammad Ali and multi-platinum recording artist Matchbox Twenty will open the musical portion of the evening, followed by a performance from Grammy Award-winning vocalist Kelly Clarkson. Additional performers will include the Top 12 American Idol 2011 finalists, Bret Michaels, Jackie Evancho and Lee Greenwood, under the direction of David Foster – who is returning for his 12th consecutive year as the evening’s Musical Director.

This year, Muhammad Ali will honor Halle Berry, Go Daddy CEO and Founder Bob Parsons, former NBA and NFL owner Red McCombs and No. 1 ranked LPGA Champion Cristie Kerr with the 2011 Muhammad Ali Celebrity Fight Night Awards. Kevin Costner & Modern West will perform at the official after-party immediately following the event.

Celebrities To Trade For Charity In April

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 11:30:00 +0000

BTIG LLC, an institutional broker dealer specializing in trading and related brokerage services, has announced that it will hold its star-studded 2011 Commissions for Charity day on Wednesday, April 27.

The annual celebrity-filled event has raised more than $15 million from equity and derivative trading commission profits over the last eight years for children’s charities including The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Jacob’s Cure and Catch 25. This year’s trading day will be attended by Joe Girardi, Nick Swisher, Reggie Jackson, John McEnroe and Sean Avery, among others.

“With the help of our celebrity guest traders and the support of our clients, who significantly increase their trading volumes on Charity Day, we have been able to make a real difference to the charities that we support,” said Steven Starker, co-founder of BTIG. “For the first time this year, we will also be rolling out our Commissions for Charity Day beyond the U.S. to our international offices in Hong Kong, Singapore, Sydney and London.”

A Funny Thing Happened For Charity At Michael J. Fox Celebrity Gala

Tue, 16 Nov 2010 14:00:00 +0000

The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research held its 10th annual gala benefit — "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Cure Parkinson’s — in New York City on Saturday, November 13, 2010.

Co-chaired by Tracy Pollan & Michael J. Fox, Alexandra Wentworth & George Stephanopoulos, Jennifer & Marc Lipschultz and Julie & Doug Ostrover, and with Honorary Chairs Lonnie & Muhammad Ali, the event brought together approximately 900 guests including Mayor of Newark Cory Booker, “Friday Night Lights” actress (and “Spin City” alum) Connie Britton, “Top Chef” judge Tom Colicchio, former NBA star Brian Grant, and NYC Council Speaker Christine Quinn to raise over $4.7 million for Parkinson’s research.

“The Michael J. Fox Foundation has one goal — accelerating the development of new treatments, and ultimately a cure for PD,” Foundation CEO Katie Hood said in remarks from the podium. “Our approach to research funding is not a traditional one. We are proactive, emphasizing calculated risk, insisting on accountability from our partners and prioritizing the work that other funders can’t or won’t. We could do none of this without you and are so grateful for your support.”

Michael J. Fox Foundation Awards Money For Parkinson's Research

Tue, 12 Oct 2010 12:30:00 +0000

The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research has announced awards totaling approximately $10.1 million for four new clinical trials and 14 pre-clinical therapeutic development projects in the fight against Parkinson’s Disease . The funding includes $2.5 million to drive five new clinical studies under the Clinical Intervention Awards.

The Michael J. Fox Foundation was founded in 2000 by Michael J. Fox, and is dedicated to ensuring the development of a cure for Parkinson’s disease through an aggressively funded research agenda. The Foundation has funded almost $200 million in research to date.

“Biomedical research is complicated,” wrote the actor in a recent opinion piece for CNN. "For patients, the pace of progress can be frustratingly slow. Two announcements last month — one about biomarkers, the other about stem cell research — left many of us feeling that for every promising discovery, there are even greater setbacks.

Michael J. Fox Foundation Awards Grant For Parkinson's Drug Study

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 12:30:00 +0000

Addex Pharmaceuticals Ltd has announced that it has been awarded a $900,000 grant from The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) to help fund a Phase II study of a new drug – ADX48621 – for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease.

“People with Parkinson’s report that the side-effects of levodopa treatment are one of the most difficult aspects of living with the disease. We believe ADX48621 has the potential to improve the quality of life for patients suffering from the undesirable effects of long-term dopamine replacement,” said Katie Hood, CEO, The Michael J. Fox Foundation. “ADX48621 targets a molecular mechanism that our Foundation has been investing in since 2005. We’re enthusiastic about funding this clinical work and the hope that it may bring to patients.”

“We are honored to receive this grant from The Michael J. Fox Foundation supporting ADX48621 development,” said Vincent Mutel, CEO of Addex. “The reduction in both major components of LID, which we observed after administering ADX48621 to non-human primates with LID, has not been reported with other drugs on the market or in development. As a result, we believe that it could become the first drug capable of alleviating all LID symptoms.”

Ryan Reynolds To Judge Michael J. Fox Charity Photo Contest

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 14:00:00 +0000

Michael J. Fox’s Foundation for Parkinson’s Research has launched a fantastic new photography competition, to be judged by Ryan Reynolds.

The stars are asking fans of Team Fox to post their favorite Team Fox event photos on their official Facebook page. Team Fox is made up of incredible individuals all over the world raising funds and awareness for The Michael J. Fox Foundation.

The top five photos – as chosen by Ryan – will be published in the Foundation’s newsletter, Accelerating The Cure.

Celebrities Raise Commissions For Charity With BTIG

Fri, 07 May 2010 12:00:00 +0000

BTIG LLC, an institutional broker dealer specializing in trading and related brokerage services, held its annual Commissions for Charity Day yesterday. The company donated equity, fixed income and derivative trading commission profits earned on Thursday, May 6 to a group of children’s charities.

In BTIG’s New York office, Matt Dillon, Michael J. Fox, Joe Girardi, Nick Swisher, John McEnroe, Bode Miller, Sean Avery, NYSE Euronext CEO Duncan Niederauer and WNBC-TV’s Bruce Beck took part, while in San Francisco, Tony Gonzalez, Steve Young, Joe Morgan and Ronnie Lott joined BTIG’s West Coast team as celebrity traders.

The firm’s last Commissions for Charity Day raised more than $3 million, and over the past five years BTIG has donated more than $10 million to various organizations, including Jacob’s Cure, Catch 25, The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research and the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Michael J. Fox Makes Wish Come True For Ill Teenager

Thu, 06 May 2010 15:30:00 +0000

Through the outstanding generosity of Michael J. Fox, The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research and national children’s charity Kids Wish Network, the only wish of a teen suffering from cystic fibrosis, a brain abscess and blindness was recently granted.

 After enduring the loss of his vision and suffering through multiple brain surgeries, both stemming from a life-threatening lung condition called cystic fibrosis, 16-year-old Gideon of Allen, Mich. remains optimistic and brightens everyone else’s lives with his cheery disposition. In fact, his optimism may even be comparable to that of his hero, that “incurable optimist,” Michael J. Fox.

Michael J. Fox Rocks For A Cure

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Michael J. Fox proved that he can still rock like Marty McFly during the weekend when he appeared on stage at his annual A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To Cure Parkinson’s gala at New York’s Waldorf Astoria Hotel on Saturday.

The gala benefited his Michael J. Fox Foundation For Parkinson’s Research, and the evening saw Fox join rockers such as Roger Daltrey, Steven Tyler and Elvis Costello on stage for a jam. The event was emceed by Denis Leary, and guests such as Scarlett Johansson, Ryan Reynolds, Martin Scorsese and Ben Stiller were spotted enjoying the evening.

Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 1991. The Michael J. Fox Foundation is dedicated to finding a cure for Parkinson’s disease within the decade through an aggressively funded research agenda and to ensuring the development of improved therapies for those living with Parkinson’s today.

Michael J. Fox Honored For His War On Parkinson’s

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 14:00:00 +0000

Hollywood honored actor Michael J. Fox last week for his ongoing work to raise awareness on Parkinson’s Disease.

Fox’s commitment goes beyond his Michael J. Fox Foundation that researches treatments and cures for Parkinson’s disease – although the foundation has raised almost $100 million since Fox established it in 2000, ten years after being diagnosed with early onset Parkinson’s. He was very pleased when, earlier this year, American president Barack Obama overturned a ban on federal funding for human embryonic stem cell research, getting “politics out of science.”

But perhaps an even greater contribution, to himself and others who are afflicted with the disease, was when he came out of the closet, helping to overturn taboos and the shame that comes along with the debilitating disease. The books Fox has written on living with Parkinson’s have also been well-received.

Celebrity-Signed Books Up For Grabs For Charity

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 15:30:00 +0000

Whether you are looking for a good book to read while stretched out on the beach, or – for those of you in the Southern Hemisphere – searching for something to curl up with in bed on a frosty winter’s night, there will be something for you in the SAG Foundation’s Celebrity Autographed Book Auction.

The Screen Actor’s Guild Foundation is raising money for it’s literacy programs by auctioning off books signed by your favorite stars. Going under the hammer are titles such as The Olsen Twins’ Influence, Michael J. Fox’s Always Looking Up, Heidi Klum’s Body of Knowledge, Julianne Moore’s Freckleface Strawberry and the Dodgeball Bully, Tom Colicchio’s Craft of Cooking, William Shatner’s Quest For Tomorrow, Alison Sweeney’s All The Days Of My Life, Kirk Douglas’ Let’s Face It, Jenny McCarthy’s Healing and Preventing Autism, Larry King’s My Remarkable Journey, Tori Spelling’s Mommywood, Sean Astin’s There and Back Again, John Lithgow’s The Poet’s Corner and many more.

Proceeds from the auction benefit the Screen Actors Guild Foundation’s literacy effort, which began in 1992 and now includes such programs as:

Michael J. Fox Foundation Funds Over $1 Million To Parkinson's Research

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 13:00:00 +0000

As of mid-2009, The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research – established by Michael J. Fox – has already funded over $1 million in high-risk, high-reward approaches to Parkinson’s therapeutic development through its groundbreaking Rapid Response Innovation Awards.

Projects include investigations of the safety and efficacy of an FDA-approved drug for kidney disease to treat Parkinson’s; characterization of a tenuous link between PD and certain strains of influenza virus; and a proof-of-principle approach to refine deep brain stimulation (DBS) into a potentially more effective symptomatic therapy.

Rapid Response, one of the Foundation’s Edmond J. Safra Core Programs for PD Research, earmarks up to $2 million annually to support research with little to no existing preliminary data, but potential to crack open entirely new ways of understanding or treating Parkinson’s disease. The program has no deadline, instead accepting researchers’ proposals on a rolling basis throughout the year in order to fund truly novel thinking whenever inspiration strikes.

Annual Women's Conference To Attract Big Names

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:30:00 +0000

Maria Shriver will once again host the annual Women’s Conference in October, and tickets go on sale on July 13.

The first Women’s Conference – formerly known as the California Governor and First Lady’s Conference on Women – was held over twenty years ago, but it has been under the leadership of First Lady Shriver and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger that the event has become the premier event in empowering and inspiring women.

“I am honored to again be hosting what has become the nation’s premier forum for women, where the world’s greatest hearts and minds convene every year to empower women to find a common purpose, be united by a shared conversation, and see themselves as a collective WE,” said Shriver. “This year, I am urging women to take time to explore their deepest hopes and aspirations, and I hope they leave the conference with a better sense of just who they want to be — and the knowledge of how to get there.”

Michael J. Fox Raises Funds For Children’s Charities

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 13:00:00 +0000

What’s the most optimistic thing Michael J. Fox has ever done? Taken up golf, with Parkinson’s, he says. Fox has been inspiring in many ways throughout his acting career, but even more so since he came out of the closet a few years ago, revealing publicly that he had early onset Parkinson’s disease.

Since then, he has created the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s research, raised millions of dollars to support the research, written two books with the unlikely titles, “Lucky Man” and “Always Looking Up, The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist”, and along the way realized he’s living the best years of his life now, even while he’s trying to golf.

He may not have played well, but that did not stop Fox from having a great time at the Principal Charity Classic Pro-Am fundraising tournament recently., raising money for local children’s charities in Iowa. “I golf terribly but everyone was so patient. It was fun.”

Join Team Fox For The New York Marathon

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Michael J. Fox’s Team Fox wants you to join them for the New York Marathon later this year to raise money for the Michael J. Fox Foundation.

Team Fox is a proud charity partner in the 2009 ING New York City Marathon and has a limited number of entries available for Team Fox runners!

To guarantee entry through Team Fox, runners must commit to raise $2,500 for Parkinson’s research. In exchange for this generous commitment, members of the Team Fox ING New York City Marathon team will receive Team Fox running gear, an invitation to attend the pre-race pasta dinner and post-race party, team transportation to the start line, training support and more.

Michael J Fox To Tee Off In Charity Golf Tournament

Mon, 25 May 2009 12:30:00 +0000

Actor Michael J. Fox is to play in a charity golf tournament this week.

The Ciber pro-am of the Principal Charity Classic golf tournament will take place this Wednesday, May 27, at Glen Oaks County Club in West Des Moines.

Fox says that taking up golf with Parkinson’s is the “most optimistic” thing he has ever done.