Michael J. Fox refuses to let Parkinson's disease define him

Washington, Mar 31 (ANI): 'Back to the Future' star Michael J. Fox has revealed that he refuses to let his battle with Parkinson's disease stop him from living his life or from defining him.

Fox, 47, was diagnosed with the degenerative brain disease back in 1991.

He told talk show host Oprah Winfrey that struggling with the illness made him feel like he was dealing with an unruly child.

"It's like having a four-year-old climbing on you all the time and so whatever you're trying to do, you've got this four-year-old and you're... just trying to be patient and focus on what you need to do," Contactmusic quoted him as saying.

The actor became a well-known advocate of Parkinson's disease research ever since he publicly disclosed his battle with the illness in 1998, and he is determined not to let it take over his life.

"I'm a dad, I'm a husband, I'm an activist, I'm a writer and I'm just a student of the world. This is one fact of my life, but it's not the totality of my life. It doesn't define me," he added.

The actor founded the Michael J. Fox Foundation in 2000, which has since become the largest private founder in the U.S. of medical research into the disease. (ANI)