Another friend of 23andMe, Rich Clifford, the former NASA astronaut who has become a powerful voice for those with Parkinson’s, was recently featured on CNN.
Always an inspiration, Rich spoke with CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta about his life with Parkinson’s disease. A career military officer, he flew on the Space Shuttle Atlantis two years after getting his own diagnosis for Parkinson’s. Now, more than 20 years later, he has become an advocate for others battling the disease.
He is also a big supporter of 23andMe’s Parkinson’s research initiative. He said 23andMe’s test offers people an opportunity to learn of their genetic risk for the disease before they get it. This gives them a chance to take steps for early intervention before they get symptoms.
Take a look at the CNN piece.
A more in-depth look at his story and his fight against Parkinson’s is the subject of Zach Jankovic’s soon to be completed documentary, “The Astronaut’s Secret.”
If you haven’t already, take a look at some of our recent posts on Parkinson’s:
– 23andMe Goest to Washington
– Why Not Participate? One Patient’s Perspective
– 23andMe’s Latest Publication Shines Light on Male Pattern Baldness and Unexpected Associations with Disease
– 23andMe and Parkinson’s: Past, Present, and Future
– The State of the Science of Parkinson’s Research