Rev. Jesse Jackson Diagnosed With Parkinson's Disease

The civil rights activist said he will be making "lifestyle changes" to slow the disease's progression.
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Civil rights leader and politician Rev. Jesse Jackson has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, he announced Friday.

“My family and I began to notice changes about three years ago. For a while, I resisted interrupting my work to visit a doctor. But as my daily physical struggles intensified I could no longer ignore the symptoms, so I acquiesced,” he said in a statement posted to Twitter.

“After a battery of tests, my physicians identified the issue as Parkinson’s disease, a disease that bested my father.”

Jackson, 76, said he has recently experienced difficulty moving around and performing basic tasks.

Every year, roughly 60,000 Americans will be diagnosed with Parkinson’s, a neurological disease with no cure. The condition affects 1 percent of adults over the age of 60.

The disease affects everyone differently, but can cause stiffness, tremors, difficulty balancing, mood disorders and changes in language and memory.

In his statement, the two-time Democratic presidential candidate and civil rights activist said he would be making “lifestyle changes” and undergoing physical therapy.

He ended by saying, “As we continue the struggle for human rights, remember that God will see us through, even in our midnight moments. Keep hope alive!”

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